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Isaac Samuel

@rhaplord.bsky.social

1K followers 110 following 3.9K posts

Finance | History | Trance Patreon http://patreon.com/isaacsamuel64 Substack https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/

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Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 5h

Parliamentary democracies in pre-colonial southern Africa: the Kgotla of the Tswana (ca. 1800-1966)

www.patreon.com/posts/141004...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

“The King’s power, though very great, is nevertheless controlled by the minor chiefs, who in their parliament, use the greatest plainness of speech in exposing what they consider culpable or lax in his government.”

R. Moffat, Ngwaketse, Botswana. ca. 1824
www.patreon.com/posts/141004...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

the Bangwe (public square) of Moroni and Iconi, Grande Comore.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

Public hall of the Mangbetu kingdom, north-eastern D.R.Congo. ca. 1870
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

‘Visit to the Naba of Karaga’, ca. 1892, northern Ghana.

www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

Reception of Monteil by Bornu’s courtiers, army, and spectators at Kukawa, Nigeria. ca. 1891.

www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

The ‘Aban’ stone palace of Kumasi, ca. 1874.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 2h

thnx

Reposted by Isaac Samuel

John Peters @johnthejack.bsky.social · 3h

Think this one very interesting
@rhaplord.bsky.social

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

The parliamentary democracies of pre-colonial Tswana kingdoms and their evolution are the subject of my latest Patreon article:

⤵️⤵️
Parliamentary democracies in pre-colonial southern Africa: the Kgotla of the Tswana (ca. 1800-1966)
www.patreon.com/posts/141004...

Parliamentary democracies in pre-colonial southern Africa: the Kgotla of the Tswana (ca. 1800-1966) | Isaac Samuel

Get more from Isaac Samuel on Patreon

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Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

historians have highlighted the presence of similar institutions across the region, as well as the transformation of the Kgotla in Botswana from the pre-colonial period to the modern era.

www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

While some scholars, such as Acemoglu and Robinson, describe these institutions as exclusive to Botswana and claim that they were preserved in pristine form into the modern period
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

Such is the freedom of speech at those public meetings, that some of the captains have said of the King, that he stupifies his mind by smoking tobacco, and is not fit to rule over them.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

“The King’s power, though very great, is nevertheless controlled by the minor chiefs, who in their pichos or pitshos, their parliament, use the greatest plainness of speech in exposing what they consider culpable or lax in his government.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

Visitors in the 1820s were struck by the civic order of the Tswana capitals, and the freedom of speech allowed in the Kgotla, which they refer to as a ‘parliament’:
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

This is most evident among the kingdoms of the Tswana-speakers in southern Africa, whose pre-existing institutions of parliamentary democracy contributed to the exceptional performance of the democratic institutions in modern Botswana.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

The development of political centralization and collective decision-making institutions was thus fairly common in pre-colonial African societies, with varying degrees of pluralism.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

These assemblies convened in a public square known as a bangwe, with monumental gates (mnara) and benches (upando) where customary activities took place and public meetings were held.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

In the Comoros archipelago, the sultan was elected and assisted by a council, which was comprised of heads of lineages and other patricians, who restricted his powers through assemblies.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

The state councils of the Swahili cities were in charge of the town’s administration; they adjudicated legal rows, provided political leadership, called town meetings, and supervised religious events
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

Historical accounts of the Swahili cities such as Mombasa (Kenya), Lamu (Kenya), and Brava (Somalia) in the 16th century describe them as ‘republics’ that were governed by a council (Yumbe) of elders (wazee) or patricians (waungwana).
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

By the 18th century, the Loango council became so influential that when the King died in 1787, they were reluctant to elect another King, choosing instead to take over the administration of the kingdom for nearly a century.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

In the kingdom of Loango, the king could not “do anything without the Council of four primates of his court.” These constituted an electoral council, as “they could raise one [king] up and replace him with another at their pleasure.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

In the kingdom of Kongo (northern Angola), a royal council was in charge of electing the monarch : wars could not be declared, officials named or deprived, roads opened or closed without the consent of the council.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

This council functioned as a decision-making body on virtually all matters of foreign and domestic administration, but also acted as an electoral body that could appoint or depose kings.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com

Isaac Samuel @rhaplord.bsky.social · 3h

In the Hausa city-state of Kano (northern Nigeria), the 15th-century king Rumfa established the Kano state council of nine executives ( “Tara ta kano” ), which was partly modelled on the “council of twelve” of its suzerain, the empire of Bornu.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/parliament...

Parliamentary systems and other pluralistic institutions in pre-colonial Africa

The political history of several African kingdoms included systems of governance that were variously referred to as national “assemblies”, “councils,” or “parliaments,” which limited the power of King...

www.africanhistoryextra.com