SOCIAL- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION PRE-COLONIAL AFRICA

Social Organisation and Production

Economic production in the pre colonial Africa can only be analysed when we look into modes of production in the pre colonial African society. This consists of the productive forces and relations of production. Examples of modes of production existed in the pre colonial African societies were communal mode of production, feudal modal of production and slave mode of production.

The Meaning of Social Organisation and Production

Explain the meaning of social organization and production

Social organisation

Can be defined as the mode of production existing in a given place at a given period of time. Modes of production involve productive forces that are human labour, instrument of labour, economic activities and objects of labour and production.

Types of Social Organisations and Production; Communalism

Mode of production

Refers to the varied ways that human being collectively produce the means of subsistence in order to survive and enhance social being. Therefore in this topic we shall fully analyze characteristics of various mode of production in the pre colonial African societies. The followings are the modes of production existed in the pre colonial African societies.

The Meaning and Origins of Communalism in Africa

Explain the meaning and origins of communalism in Africa

Communal mode of production

This was the first mode of production to exist in pre colonial African societies and is divided into two namely:

1.     Primitive communalismThe first mode of production through which all societies passed was primitive communalism. It is called "primitive‟ because of the low level of productive forces and "communalism‟ because there was no exploitation of man by man. This mode of production existed for much longer period than any other mode as it ranged from theemergence of man more than one million years ago.

2.     Advanced communalismDuring that era man advanced in his tools through various discoveries like iron tools. It is because of this technological advancement that is why it came to be known as advancement communalism.

Characteristics of primitive communalism

Low level of production:With crude tools like stone and little knowledge, man hardly mastered his surroundings. He managed to get basic needs such as food, clothes and shelter. Due to low level of development in science and technology people produced food for their day to day use; hence there was no surplus of production.

Collective ownership: Members of the community jointly owned the major means of production including land, tools and animals. The clan leader headed the members of the clan. However, communal societies were not stratified as a result all commodities produced were shared equally for there was no exploitation.

Absence of specialisation:People were obliged to do all the jobs including making tools, hunting, looking for foods, preparing shelters and clothes. The division of labour was based on gender and age, men hunted and collected food while women were responsible for cooking, taking care of the young, sick and old people.

Full democracy: All decision making was arrived at by all adult members of the group regardless of their gender.

Generally, people lived together according to blood relations in small groups by tracing their origin from the same ancestor. Each group was separated from the other by large tracts of land.

Transition from primitive communalism to advanced communalism

During primitive communalism all the time man largely depended on nature so as to increase his labour productivity.

Domestication of animal and plants or emergence of Neolithic revolution in the late age of the Stone Age; this was the greatest revolution made so far for the first time by man.

Development of permanent settlement: Even with nomadic pastoralist or shifting cultivation the area of operation became limited as the number of people increased due to the Neolithic revolution. Hence the production increased with the population following this permanent settlement was inevitable.

Advanced production of tools like hand hoes, panga, axe and other iron tools resulted from the Neolithic revolution

Land continued to belong to the community but agriculture became the major economic activity.

Transition from advanced communalism to feudalism mode of production

African societies were not static, but they underwent transformations, which were influenced by the environment, climate and soil fertility, the growth of population and the increase of productive forces all which paved the way for a new mode of production.

Such factors caused societies' transitions from communalism to feudalism, by the 19th century some societies were practicing feudalism. However, groups such as the Tindiga of Tanzania, Khoisan of Kalahari maintained their communal mode of production.

Some societies lived in areas with good climate and fertile soils. Such societies included the Mandika and the Yoruba in the forest of savannah regions, Bunyoro, Buganda, Ankore, Toro, Tutsi, Haya, Hutu and Waha of East Africa as well as the Zulu and the Nguni in South Africa.

Reliable rainfall and fertile soils allowed the expansion of agriculture and the cultivation of permanent crops e.g. bananas in Buganda.

The cultivation of permanent crops led to the growth of permanent settlements which ensured surplus production.

The advancement of science and technology led to the discovery of iron. From iron people made strong and sharper tools than stone tools which increased the rate of production.

The growth in population led to an increase in food production and the standard of living. Population increase resulted in shortage of land and caused overcrowding this also led to the rise of highly centralised states that developed standing armies which later carried out constant raids. Shortage of land and its increase in value contribution to the development of productive forces since they were conditioned to produce everything in small areas.

Such factors threatened the communal mode of production and led to feudalism, since land was privately owned by people. This created classes of land owners and those who were landless within the community. Organisation of labour was then dictated by land controllers at the expense of the landless who worked for the land owners in order to be paid. Also, the distribution of products was not equal; as land controllers took the highest shares for themselves.

Furthermore societies underwent a transformation from communalism to feudalism systems due to the fact that some societies become strong and conquered weaker societies.

The Meaning and Origins of Slavery in Africa

Explain the meaning and origins of slavery in Africa

Slavery mode of production

Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work and to demand compensation

Historically, slavery was institutionally recognised by many societies but in more recent times slavery has been outlawed in most societies continues through the practices of debt bondage, indentured servitude, serfdom, domestic servant kept in captivity, adopted children are sometimes forced to work as slaves as well as child soldiers and forced marriage.

Slavery is a condition in which one human being is owned by another. A slave was considered by law as property, or chattel, and was deprived of most rights ordinarily enjoyed by free persons.

There is no consensus on what the slave was or on how the institution of slavery should be defined. Nevertheless, there is general agreement among historians, anthropologist, economists, sociologist and others who study slavery that most of the following characteristics should be present in order to term a person a slave. The slave was a species of property; thus he belonged to someone else.

The Characteristicsof Slavery as well as the Use of Slaves

Explain the features of slavery as well as the use of slaves

Characteristics of slavery mode of production

·         Existence of two classes example; slave masters and slaves

·         Low productive forces

·         Existence of political institution

·         Surplus production

·         Exploitation

·         Private ownership of major means of production

     Update:

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION IN PRE-COLONIAL AFRICA

Social organization: 
Refers to the mode of production existing in a particular place at particular time. Modes of production involve productive forces that are human labour, instrument of labour, economic activities and objects of labour and production.

Modes of production:
 Is the relationship between production and productive forces include the following; human labour, surplus production, instrument of labour, objective of labour and population.

Human labor: 
Is the consciousness and purposeful activity of people to produce material wealth.

Production: 
Is a major in the series of economic processes that brings goods and services to people. It includes creation, distribution and consumption.

Means of labour:
 Are the things used in production such as hoes, machines, roads, buildings etc.

Objective of labour: 
Are things upon which man’s labour is applied (mostly land).

Productive forces: 
These are means of production created by a society especially objects and instrument of labour.

Relation of production:
 Are simple and direct relations which people enter to one another in actual production process either exploitive or exploited class.

Class struggle: 
Are conflicts that developed between exploitative mode and non –exploitative modes example capitalism and socialism.

TYPES OF SOCIAL ORGANISATION PRODUCTION

A:  COMMUNAL ISM MODE OF PRODUCTION

This was the first mode of production to exist in pre colonial African societies and is divided into two namely:

1. Primitive communalism The first mode of production through which all societies passed was primitive communal ism. It is called "primitive‟ because of the low level of productive forces and "communalism‟ because there was no exploitation of man by man. This mode of production existed for much longer period than any other mode as it ranged from the emergence of man more than one million years ago.
2. Advanced communalism During that era man advanced in his tools through various discoveries like iron tools. It is because of this technological advancement that is why it came to be known as advancement communalism The nonproductive members of the society such as the elders, disabled and children were exempted from work due to their disabilities. The invention of agricultural tools encouraged man to cultivate bigger plots of land. Rapid increases in population also encouraged people to increase their farms so as to get more food which could feed the growing population.

Some of African societies in the present days are still practicing communal mode of production. These include;

The Tindiga and Hadzabe of Singida and Lake Manyara and Central Tanzania.

The Dorobo (Okiek) of Maumau forest and Tesoin Uganda.

The Mbali found in the equatorial rain forest of the Congo DRC.

The bushman (san) of South Africa.

The KhoiKhoi of Kalahari desert of Botswana

The Tur of Ghana.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNAL ISM

1. Absence of exploitation.

There was no exploitation among the people in a community. All the able bodied members of the society worked hard and shared what they produced.

2. Low level of production.

The level of productive forces were low hence none or very little surplus was produced. The implements used in food procurement were crude and simple.

3. Dependence on nature.

In communalism life was entirely dependent on nature therefore the environment dictated how man lived.

4. Communal ownership.

The communal ownership of properties was a major characteristic of communalism. The major means of production like land, tools and minerals were owned by the community.

5. Hunting and gathering.

This was the main occupation in these communities; people were grouped together in collective groups known as hunting bands to facilitate this means of production. This later led to the development of stock raising and agriculture then it brought the division of labor.

6. Subsistence economy.

Due to low level of development of science and technology people produced enough food for their consumption.

7. Lack of specialization.

Because of limitation of their science and technology (knowledge) these people learnt to perform all types of jobs. They worked together in marking roots, hunting and looking for food later on very simples division of labor based on gender occurred.

8. People in communal society treated each other equally. There was no standing armies and ruling classes; even elders were not lords or rulers.

9. Learning by doing: people in communal societies shared knowledge. This was acquired through learning by doing, youth and children obtained knowledge and skills from their elders.

FACTORS FOR TRANSITION FROM PRIMITIVE COMMUNAL ISM TO SLAVERY AND FEUDAL MODE OF PRODUCTION.

1. Neolithic revolution: Is the term for the first agricultural change describing the transition from nomadic, hunting and gathering to permanent settlement. Neolithic revolution brought socioeconomic changes such as establishment of permanent settlement, extension of division of labor based on age and sex, emergence of specialization, surplus production and spread of diseases due to permanent settlement.

2. Advanced in science and technology. This was the turning point that gave improvement in agricultural production. The tools produced were sharper and stronger than the older ones. The improvement of tools led to the expansion of socioeconomic activities above and beyond hunting and gathering.

3. The reliable rainfall and fertile land. Allowed the expansion of agriculture especially the cultivation of permanent crops such as banana in Uganda.

4. Population growth by either natural increase through giving birth or artificial means through immigration which was associated with transformation of the social organization and forming of strong empire.

B) SLAVERY MODE OF PRODUCTION.

Slavery refers to a situation in a society where a person is owned by another purposely as an instrument of production. Slavery mode of production was the second mode of production and the first exploitative mode of man by man. The emergence of surplus production created two different classes these were the rich and the poor. Under slavery systems slaves could not acquire wealthy and could not cultivate own land.

Slavery in Africa existed in;

Egypt where they constructed dams and pyramids.

Chagga, Haya, Ganda, Hehe. Kerewe and Sambaa in East Africa interior.

Along the coast of East Africa slaves were used in carrying loads buildings, cities, constructing dams and irrigation scheme. Slavery in Africa never existed as an institution except in Egypt Muslim communities and on the coast of East Africa.

FEATURES OF SLAVE MODE OF PRODUCTION

1. Existence of two classes that is the slave masters who were exploiters and the slaves who were exploited group.

2. Private ownership of the major means of production. The slave masters owned slaves, cattle and all implements of production.

3. Low productive force under the slave mode of production, the productive forces were still low though more advanced compared to those used during communalism.

4. Existence of surplus production. There were extra products due to the use of advanced tools and improved skills of man to control his environment. The slave masters owned surplus production produced by slaves.

5. Existence of political institutions; these began to emerge and existed in various areas example slave masters had state apparatus such as army, prisons and police which were employed in exploiting and suppressing slaves.

6. Class struggle existed between slaves and slave masters; the slaves started to resist in form of strikes, rebellions, idling and running away.