Topic 1: MODES OF PRODUCTION _ Pre-Colonial African Societies - History 1 Notes Form 5 and 6
MODES OF PRODUCTION IN PRE – COLONIAL AFRICA
The modes of production in pre – colonial Africa included-
- Communal mode of production
- Slave mode of production
- Feudal mode of production
I. COMMUNIAL MODE OF PRODUCTION
This is the oldest system of social relations and preside all the other modes of production. It marked the rise of society from sheer animalism to human society. The main activities were hunting and gathering.
OR
This is the earliest form mode of production in human history where evolution of society started, people were powerless before the environment and depended on whatever nature gave them for food; such as insects, roots and tools involved were; stones, arrows etc
Examples of societies practicing communal mode:-
Fulani of West Africa
Khoikhoi of South Africa
Tindiga and Hadzabe of Central Tanzania
FEATURES OF COMMUNAL MODE OF PRODUCTION
- Collective ownership
There was collective ownership of major means of production. E.g. Land was owned by the whole society. It led to absence of exploitation because means of production were not owned by few people.
- Low level of production forces
It was characterized by low level of production forces because the tools were mode out of stones.
- Absence of trading activities
Absence of surplus lead to absence of trade because whatever produced was consumed.
- Low level of production
This was due to low level of tools of production, that means non surplus and whatever produced was consumed.
- No exploitation
There was no any exploitation because of collective ownership.
NB: - This mode changed within time depending of discovery of iron tools which increased production leading to surplus which transformed to exploitative modes to exploitative modes.
II. SLAVE MODE OF PRODUCTION
This is the first exploitative mode of production. Here a person became an absolute Property of another man. Slaves dominated by slave masters. It should be noted that many African societies transformed directly from primitive communalism to feudalism, as a result, slave mode was not well developed. It was highly practiced in Egypt where Slaves built pyramids.
FEATURES OF SLAVE MODE OF PRODUCTION
Existence of two antagonistic classes
There was existence of two antagonistic classes, that is slaves and slave masters. Slaves were producers of their own material requirement‟s and surplus products for their masters.
Private ownership
There was private ownership of the major means of production, whereby means of production are slaves and are owned by slave masters.
Existence of exploitation
It was characterized by exploitation of man by man, because Slaves were the ones who were involved in production and whatever they produced was appropriated by the slave masters.
Relatively advanced tools
The level of productive forces was still low but relatively advanced than under communal mode of production. Production relatively advanced leading to surplus.
Relatively high level of political institutions
This is due to the use of better tools of production which increased production which supported increase in population leading to formation of states or Kingdoms.
NB: - The slave mode of production later declined due to conflicts between the slaves and slave masters over exploitation of the slaves by slaves masters. The decline of this mode, paved way for the rise of another mode known as feudal mode of production.
WHY PRE-COLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES DID NOT DEVELOP (ADVANCE) SLAVE MODE OF PRODUCTION
The Following are the reasons showing clearly that the pre-colonial Africa did not develop slave as mode of production:-
1. Slavery existed in few parts of Africa as an institution and not as a mode of production these areas were;
In Zanzibar; where by slavery existed after Sultan Seyyid Said shifted his capital from Muscat-Oman to Zanzibar in 1840, so slaves were taken from Central and East Africa to perform various activities or tasks in Zanzibar island like domestic activities such as cooking, mopping, fetching water, keeping gates (watch), taking care of elders and children and others offered labour in cloves and coconut plantations.
In Egypt; where by slaves were taken from western Sudan and forest areas to perform various activities during Pharaoh‟s regime (Period)(rule), these activities were such as constructing canals, making calendar, building tombs, performing various domestic activities.
Maghreb societies (Morocco,Tunisia and Algeria); slaves were taken from various parts of Western Africa And Northern East Africa to perform various activities in Maghreb societies, for example they were taken to offer their labour in Agriculture like palm dates and domestic activities.
2. Slavery co-existed together with feudalism in many parts of Africa. In Africa slave mode of production was not noted as the mode of production simply because the only mode of production in those areas was feudalism for example in Zanzibar the mode of production was feudalism however slavery also existed there.
3. In Pre -colonial African societies there was no slave masters or class of slave masters which showed clearly that the mode of production existed in pre -colonial African societies was not slavery and rather it was feudalism.
4. The level of development of productive forces used during the transition from primitive to feudalism showed that the slavery (Slave mode of production) did not exist in Africa. For example some societies which were in transition to feudalism decided to use hoe to cultivate on the land which showed as the mode of production existed was feudalism based on land ownership.
TRANSITION FROM SLAVERY TO FEUDAL MODE OF PRODUCTION
The Major factors for the decline of slavery and the emergence of feudal mode of production were as follows:-
1. Improvement of productive forces during the slavery; changed the social and technical relation of production and geared to the decline of slave mode of production and the rise of feudalism.
2. Existence of class struggle in slavery. The series of slaves uprising against the masters at the end of the day led to collapse of slave mode of production and hence emergence of feudalism.
3. The Failure of the productive forces to correspond with social and technical relational production (relation of production). According to Karl Marx (1818-1883) pointed out that if productive forces and social and technical relation of production in a certain mode of production are not going hand in hand with the existing mode of production then such mode of production will collapse and pave a way to another mode of production.
4. Slaves lacked interest in labour; they frequently destroyed the equipment of production owned by slave masters hence slavery collapsed.
5. The cruel exploitation of slaves and ruthlessness and oppression done by the slave masters to slaves led the slaves to revolt against the slave masters hence slaves became free from being controlled by the slave masters this led to the collapse of slavery(slave mode of production).
6. The Slave owners (slave maters) with vast number of slaves were not interested in including the tools of production; they continued to use the old productive forces which automatically led to the collapse of slave mode of production.
7. The constant military campaigns led to the number of slaves to drop down and the prices to get slaves increased this led slave masters to fail to continue with this mode of production (slavery).
III. FEUDAL MODE OF PRODUCTION
This was the second exploitative mode of production based on private ownership of land. It was common in Africa since 14th to 19th century.
Example of societies practiced feudalism:-
- Haya in Tanganyika
- Zulu in South Africa
FEATURES OF FEUDAL MODE OF PRODUCTION
Existence of two dominant classes
There were dominant classes that is the feudal lords and peasants. They employed the feudal lords / property owner’s controlled/owned land and peasants.
Private ownership.
It was characterized by private ownership as in the major means of production were controlled by the feudal lords. Example: - Land and cattle were property of the feudal lords. If peasants wanted to use the land, they had to pay.
Exploitation
It was characterized by exploitation of man-by-man because major means of production were controlled by a few people who are the feudal / land lords. Peasants were exploited through payment of rent.
Advanced tools of production.
The level of productive forces was advanced which led to high level of production; this led to availability of surplus.
PRE – COLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES
At the time of colonization, most of pre–colonial African societies were in the communal mode of production but in transition to the feudal mode of production. Some societies were in the feudal mode of production.
The slave mode of production was not well developed because most of the Africa societies transformed from the communal mode directly to the feudal mode of production.
There were various characteristics of pre – colonial African societies
The family was the basic unit of production. This limited the division of labour and it was a hindrance to the development of science and technology, consequently agricultural production was always low in pre – colonial Africa.
The level of productive forces was very low because the tools used were made of stones. The use of primitive tools led to low levels of production which in turn contributed to the absence of surplus.
Land was the commonest object of labour; its distribution was on cultural values and traditions. In clan organization land was distributed by the clan head on customary laws.
There were some class societies in pre–colonial Africa. For example under the slave mode of production; there was a class of slave masters and the slaves and in feudal mode of production was characterized by a class of land lords/ feudal lords, and peasants.
The major economic activities were agriculture and pastoralism. Agriculture was mainly carried out by feudal societies and it was common in the interlacustrine region. Pastoralism was mainly practiced by societies that level in the rift valley region for example the Maasai of East Africa.
The pre–colonial African societies were pre–capitalist because there are three modes of production. I.e. communal, slavery and Feudal modes of production. The capitalist mode of production was introduced during colonialism.
Production in pre–colonial Africa was mainly for consumption and not for the market. Production for the market was introduced during colonialism whereby Africans were producing raw materials for the export market.
NOTE: - It should be noted that the pre–colonial African societies were not at the same level of development.
WHY SOME AFRICAN SOCIETIES WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE FEUDAL MODE OF PRODUCTION/REASONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
The Pre–colonial African societies were not static or unchanging they went through various transformations that were influenced by the nature of the environment, climate and soil fertility.
Some factors enabled some African societies to be able to transform from other modes of production to the feudal mode of production.
Various factors contributed to the rise of feudalism in Africa:
Nature of the environment
Those areas in African that had fertile soils and received enough rainfall throughout the year supported agriculture on a large scale thus leading to the increase in production, which facilitated the rise of feudalism.
Advancement of science and technology
The development of science and technology, which was due to the making, and using of iron tools led to drastic changes in agricultural production, this played a crucial role in the rise of feudalism in Africa.
Increase in population
The increase in population was due to increase in food supplies and standard of living. The increase in population resulted into shortage of land that facilitated the rise of feudalism due to private ownership of land.
Existence of strong political institutions
The existence of strong political institutions for example states; played a big role in the rise of feudalism in Africa, these political institutions led to private ownership of land that led to the rise of feudalism.
Shortage of land
The shortage of land and its increase in value contributed to the development of productive forces since the people were conditioned to use small plots of land. Such factors threatened the existence of communal mode of production consequently paved a way to the increase of feudalism.
Strong and well-disciplined army
The Strong and well-disciplined army led to the establishment of feudal societies and feudal states because the army was used by their leaders to go and conquer the areas of their neighbouring kingdoms. Hence, increase the land for their societies for example in Buganda, Kabaka used army to conquer Bunyoro-Kitare under Kabalega also in South Africa were Shaka used army with establish Zulu Kingdom by conquering small kingdoms.
Growth and control of trade
Trade was one among the reasons which led to emergence of some feudal societies. Societies which engaged in trade acquired iron tools and guns and these were used in agricultural production and expansion and consolidation of feudal societies/states. For Example the Buganda kingdom which engaged in trade got iron tools which helped them to get involved in permanent agricultural production of crops such as Banana that ensured constant supply of food and led to the establishment of permanent settlement.