Rationality and Consensus in Kwasi Wiredu’s Traditional African Polities

in Theoria
Author:
Bernard Matolino University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg

Search for other papers by Bernard Matolino in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

Abstract

The disagreement over what was responsible for arriving at consensual positions, in traditional African polities, is best captured in the classic debate between Kwasi Wiredu and Emmanuel Eze. The former holds that rational persuasion was the sole informant of decision-making while the latter argues that non-rational factors played a crucial role in securing a consensual decision. If Wiredu is correct then consensus could work in modern society as it can be argued that it does not rely on traditionalistic scaffoldings. If, on the other hand, Eze is correct, then consensus cannot work in modern largely urbanised Africa as its traditional underpinnings have largely disappeared. While Emmanuel Ani’s intervention in this debate is welcome for its earnest search for a system that could work, his support for Eze is not bold enough to undermine Wiredu’s rationalistic orientation in consensus.

Contributor Notes

Bernard Matolino is a senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. He is author of Personhood in African Philosophy.

  • Collapse
  • Expand

Theoria

A Journal of Social and Political Theory

  • Ani, E. I. 2014. ‘On Traditional African Consensual Rationality’, The Journal of Political Philosophy 22(3): 34265.

  • Eze, E. C. 1997. ‘Democracy or Consensus: A Response to Wiredu’, in E. C. Eze (ed.), Postcolonial African Philosophy: A Critical Reader. Oxford: Blackwell, 31323.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Jacques, C. 2011. ‘Alterity in the Discourse of African Philosophy: A Forgotten Absence’, in H. Lauer and K. Anyidoho (eds), Reclaiming Human Sciences and Humanities Through African Perspectives. Volume 2. Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 101730.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Janz, B. 2008. ‘Reason and Rationality in Eze’s On Reason’, South African Journal of Philosophy 27(4): 296309.

  • Lauer, H. 2011. ‘Negotiating Pre-colonial History and Future Democracy: Kwasi Wiredu and His Critics’, in H. Lauer, A.A. Amfo and J.A. Anderson (eds), Identity Meets Nationality: Voices from the Humanities. Legon: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 17489.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lauer, H. 2012. ‘Wiredu and Eze on Good Governance’, Philosophia Africana 14(1): 4159.

  • Matolino, B. 2009. ‘A Response to Eze’s Critique of Wiredu’s Consensual Democracy’, South African Journal of Philosophy 28(1): 3442.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Matolino, B. 2012. ‘Democracy, Consensus and Africa: An Investigation into Consensual Democracy’s Contribution to African Political Philosophy’, Philosophia Africana 14(2): 10524.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Matolino, B. 2013. ‘The Nature of Opposition in Kwasi Wiredu’s Democracy by Consensus’, African Studies 72(1): 2337.

  • Teffo, J. 2004. ‘Democracy, Kingship, and Consensus: A South African Perspective’, in K. Wiredu (ed.), A Companion to African Philosophy. Malden: Blackwell, 44349.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wamala, E. 2004. ‘Government by Consensus: An Analysis of a Traditional Form of Democracy’, in K. Wiredu (ed.), A Companion to African Philosophy. Malden: Blackwell, 43542.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wiredu, K. 1997. ‘Democracy and Consensus in African Traditional Politics: A Plea for a Non-Party Polity’, in E.C. Eze (ed.). Postcolonial African Philosophy: A Critical Reader. Oxford: Blackwell, 30312.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wiredu, K. 1980. Philosophy and an African Culture. New York: Cambridge.

  • Wiredu, K. 2001. ‘Democracy by Consensus: Some Conceptual Considerations’, Philosophical Papers 30(3): 22744.

Metrics

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 4194 2825 372
Full Text Views 29 1 0
PDF Downloads 16 3 0