2.0 SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION IN PRE COLONIAL AFRICA. HISTORY FORM TWO TOPIC TWO

        TOPIC TWO

2.0 SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION IN PRE COLONIAL AFRICA:

Social organization:

Refer to the mode of production existing in a particular place at particular time in all social, economic and political aspects.

Production:

Is the major step in the series of economic process that bring goods and services to the people, it includes creation, distribution and consumption (the final use of the goods). Production as the social activity distinguishes man from other animals.

TYPES OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND PRODUCTION

(I) Primitive communal mode of production:

This was the first and oldest mode of production that existed in pre-colonial African societies, comprised by two words, that is primitive because it used poor tools of production like stone tools and wooden tools. Also it called communalism because; there was no exploitation of man by man. It existed all over the world, but in different times and space. The main economic activities was hunting and gathering.

Communalism existed for much longer time than any other modes of production in Africa, which was from the emergence of man more than 2.5 million years ago; it covered stone ages and Iron Age. However some African communities in present days still practicing communal mode of production example;

(A). The bushman (san) of South Africa.

(B). The Tindiga, Sandawe and Hadzabe of Tanzania.

(C). The Khoisan speaking of Kalahari Desert from Botswana.

(D). Ndorobo of Kenya.

Characteristics of primitive communalism

1. There was low level of production; this was because of poor tools of production. It was hand to mouth production, production was for subsistence;

2. Existence of collective ownership of the major means of production; the major means of production like land and tools were collective owned, therefore there was no private ownership.

3. Absence of exploitation; communalism had no exploitation of man by man. Societies worked together and shared what they produced in the community.

4. There was no specialization; all people were responsible to work in different economic activities. This was due to the limitation of the science and technology, those people learnt to perform all their activities together. Example they worked together in hunting and gathering.

5. There were no classes in the society; all people in the society were equal. Example there was no classes between rich and poor.

6. People lived in small communities; many of them lived in the caves for fear of wild animals, these communities were scattered.

Qn1. Explain the factors for the transition from primitive communalism to slavery and feudal mode of production.

(II) Slavery mode of production;

It was the second mode of production, but it was the first exploitative mode of production. It based on exploitation of man by man; also it had two major classes, slave master and slaves.

 These classes created after development of productive forces and created the class of poor and rich people in which the rich enslaved the poor. Slaves were under wealth people, kings and chiefs used in their houses as domestic slaves or servants. Also slaves worked on the land of their masters in return of food. Example in Zanzibar slaves used by Arabs as laborers in coconuts and cloves plantations. However slave mode of production was not dominant mode of production in Africa, it existed in few areas, and example of societies which involved into slavery includes Egypt, Bagamoyo, and Zanzibar

Qn1. Show areas where slavery was practiced in Africa.

Characteristics of slavery mode of production

i. There was private ownership of the major means of production; during this time slave masters owned slaves as the major means of production. Also land owned by slave masters and slaves become laborers.

ii. Presence of classes; there were emergence of two antagonist classes which were slave master and slaves. Example slaves were the producers while the slave master were the owner of production.

iii. Existence of dehumanization; human dignity destroyed in slavery mode of production. Example women were raped and people were sold while they were naked.

iv. There was low level of productive forces; productive forces were still low, but more improved compare to primitive communalism. Therefore it facilitated the production of surplus.

v. Existence of political system; these developed and emerged in different places at different times, which stimulated  by population growth. Also slave masters had army and prisons which were used in exploiting slaves.

vi. Emergence of exploitation; It was characterized by exploitation of man by man, whereby Slaves were the main producers, but slave master owned and enjoyed production.

Qn1. Explain the features of slavery in Africa.

QN mention six uses of slaves.

1. Slaves used as a tribute. Example the defeated communities in war could give to the Victorians.

2. They were used as a sign of power and prestige in the community.

3. They were used for public works. Example used in construction of houses, irrigation, building, carrying loads and mining activities.

4. They were used to generate political power.

5. They used as the source of wealth.

6. Slaves used as domestic servants.

III. Feudalism;

It was the second exploitative mode of production which use land as the major means of production. There was formation of new classes in the societies, example feudal lords and serfs/tenants. Feudalism existed in Africa in 14^th-19^thc. Example of places which practice feudalism in Africa includes Egypt, South Africa, Interlacustrine region, some parts of Tanzania etc.

Feudalism developed three types of rent, but in Africa there were only two types of rent;

i) Labour rent, serfs worked on the plot given by land lord in order to get food and then serfs required also to work on large part of land which belonged to the land lord as the payment.

ii) Rent in kind, peasant worked only on the plot given by land lord then the peasant /serfs provided/ offered portion of their products to the landlord. Example if serfs harvested 100 bags ten of them were given to the landlords as rent.

iii) Rent in money, this was the rent which was given in cash. But money rent did not develop in Africa.

Characteristics of feudalism

(a) occurrence of exploitation; feudalism developed exploitation of man by man. Example feudal lords exploited serfs by using rent.

(b) Agriculture was the main economic activity; feudal lords owned larger portion of land and distribute those land to the peasant for agriculture in order to get rent.

(c) There were strong centralized states; feudalism supported development of political institutions, example Buganda, Bunyoro, Karagwe etc.

(d) Development of two classes; this classes include feudal lords and peasants. Feudal lords owned land while peasant payed rent.

(e) Advancement of productive forces; due to the development of productive forces production increased and create availability of surplus production.

 (f) Development of specialization; example some people become rulers, others specialized in agriculture, also some people become soldiers.

Qn1 What is feudal mode of production?

Qn2 Explain the characteristics of feudalism.

The following are how production organized under feudalism.

(A)  In interlacustrine region; areas along the Lake Victoria, example karagwe (Kagera) and Buhaya feudalism in these areas known as nyarubanya system, it based on the ownership of land as the major economic activity. The main economic activity was agriculture. Also there were two classes, which is the Batwazi (ruler) and Batwana (peasant).

Also in Buganda Nyarubanja system called nvunjo and Busulu, there were two classes which were Bataka (chiefs) and Bakopi (peasant). Under this system labour services provider was known as Akasamvu and products provided to the land lord known as Obusulu.

(B) Areas along the coast of East Africa; feudalism practiced in these areas called umwinyi. It was practiced in Zanzibar by Arabs who were the feudal lords. It was based on land ownership and racism as well as religion (Islamic religion). Arabs dominated Africans and use Islamic religion to humiliate non-Muslims.

 Land lord controlled the productive forces such as land, serfs; also monopolized the political and economic power. The serfs and tenants were given land by land lords (Wamwinyi) in order to pay rent. Before Arabs colonization, the Mwinyi mkuu was the greatest land lord in Zanzibar.

(C) Rwanda and Burundi; existed among the Hutu and Tutsi, their feudal system called ubugabire. It based on cattle ownership.

Qn1. Explain the characteristics of feudal mode of production in pre-colonial African societies, and show three variation of feudal system practiced in different areas.

Qn2. Mention three areas practiced feudalism in East Africa.

Qn3. Mention three feudal relations practiced in East Africa

Q4. Explain forms of feudalism.

Qn5. Explain how production was organized under feudalism.

Qn6.  Show societies in east Africa that practice feudalism up to the 19^thc century.

Power sharing under feudalism:

During feudalism, power sharing practiced so as to decentralize the power of kings or landlords. The king shared some of their responsibilities with other classes. This system was practiced in some African states like Karagwe, Buganda, Buhaya and Bunyoro. Example in 19^thc in Buhaya and Karagwe the Royal families (Batwezi) were given land by king to control production. This created mutual trust and respect to each other. The system of power sharing had both merits and demerits to the people where it was practiced.

Merits of the system of power sharing under African feudalism:

1. Brought equality among the respective communities, hence managed to succeed each other.

2. It brought about the sharing of cultural practices as well as their preservation.

3. It played important role of maintaining and strengthening the supremacy of the kingdom with the principle of centralization.

4. It broadened participation among the leaders and communities; this is due to the fact that every individual were encountered in participation in affairs concerning the societies.  

Demerits of the system of power sharing under African feudalism:

1. Encourage absolutism; hence led to the emergence of dictators among the leaders. Example decision making centered in few people and favoritism dominated the community.

2. Privileges and power rested on minority.

3. Propagated nepotism among the people; this is because it belonged to the ruling class and their family clan or tribe.

Questions;

1. Identify the types of social organizations and production that existed in Africa up to the19th century