Lecture 3: Precolonial Forms of Domination - Summary

1. Overview

• Examines political and state formations in Africa before colonization.
• Located across the African continent, excluding Egypt and eastern coast initially colonized later.
• Focus on political relations, power dynamics, territoriality, and state typologies.
• Addresses the historical periodization of African history: precolonial, colonial, postcolonial.
• Challenges Western historiographical categories: use of "tribe," "state," and "primitive."
• Emphasizes the diversity and complexity of African political entities and power relations.

2. Core Concepts & Key Elements

• Periodization of African history:
  • Precolonial (long durée), colonial (medium-term), postcolonial (short/immediate).
  • Constructed from Western historiography; problematic due to temporal and cultural differences.
• Precolonial African societies:
  • Generally not colonized, except Egypt (Greek, Roman), eastern coast (Oman, Zanzibar).
  • Sources: archaeology, written records, ethnobotany, linguistics, travel literature.
  • Significant documented states: Egypt, Kush, Meroe, Kanem-Bornu, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kongo, Zimbabwe.
• State and political institutionalization:
  • Typical peasant modes of production limited complex state formation.
  • "State" as understood via Weber: requires institutions & territorial control.
  • Ethiopia as exception (early centralized state).
• Power and Analytical approaches:
  • Power can exist without formal state institutions.
  • Anthropology emphasizes power exercise over state institutionalization.
  • Political configurations vary from fluid, unincorporated societies (e.g., Mbuti) to centralized kingdoms.
• Political continuum:
  • Low institutionalization: no permanent authority (e.g., Mbuti, small groups).
  • High institutionalization: kingdoms, chiefdoms, bureaucracies (e.g., Ashanti, Kongo).
• Territoriality and space:
  • Power often radiated from a core region.
  • Control of land was unbundled from sovereignty; land rights often divided.
  • Power projection limited by logistical and infrastructural constraints.
• Historical political formations:
  • Early states: Egypt (3,150 BC), Kush, Kerma, Meroe.
  • Successive Sudanic states: Ghana, Mali, Songhai.
  • Other formations: Kongo Kingdom, Zimbabwe.
• Expansion of states:
  • Driven early by militarization, trade, and infrastructural development.
  • State boundaries often defined by the distance a messenger could walk (e.g., 20 days).

3. High-Yield Facts

• Periodization:
  • Precolonial: Long duration, no fixed dates, associated with diverse states and societies.
  • Colonial: Marked by external conquest, new boundaries, imposed administrative systems.
  • Postcolonial: Since 1960s/70s, independence with sustained state formation.
• Egypt:
  • Oldest African state (~3150 BC), urban, bureaucratic, with police and written language.
• Kush/Kerma:
  • Existed 2500-1500 BC, social differentiation evident in tombs.
• Sudanese states:
  • Ghana (8th-12th c.), Mali (13th-14th c.), Songhai (15th-16th c.).
  • Hausa city-states conquered in 19th century.
• Territorial control:
  • Often radiated from a center; boundaries defined by travel/trade distances (e.g., 20 days walk for the Ashanti).
• Land rights:
  • Rights of sovereignty vs. rights of authority; land ownership could be separated.
• Power projection:
  • Limited by infrastructure; extensive roads and trade routes (e.g., Ashanti roads to Kumasi).
• Sources:
  • Archaeology, Arabic and indigenous written records, travel literature, oral tradition.

4. Summary Table

5. Mini-Schema

Precolonial Africa
 ├─ Periodization
 │   ├─ Long durée: precolonial
 │   └─ Western categories: problematic
 ├─ States
 │   ├─ Egypt: earliest, urban, bureaucratic (~3150 BC)
 │   ├─ Kush/Kerma: social differentiation (~2500 BC)
 │   ├─ Sudanic states: Ghana, Mali, Songhai
 │   └─ Others: Kongo, Zimbabwe
 ├─ Power and State
 │   ├─ Formalization limited by peasant economy
 │   ├─ Power exercised without state always
 │   └─ Broad configuration: from fluid societies to kingdoms
 └─ Territory & Expansion
     ├─ Control radiates from core
     ├─ Boundaries based on travel days
     └─ Infrastructure like roads critical for control

6. Rapid-Review Bullets

• African history divided into precolonial, colonial, postcolonial periods.
• Egypt is the oldest known African state (circa 3150 BC).
• Kush and Kerma societies exhibited early social differentiation.
• Precolonial African states often unbundled land ownership from sovereignty.
• Political control was often limited in extent, defined by infrastructure.
• Boundaries based on walking distances, e.g., 20 days for Ashanti.
• Major Sudanic states: Ghana, Mali, Songhai.
• Power exercised through coercion, infrastructure, trade routes.
• States ranged from small chiefdoms to large empires.
• Early expansion driven by militarization and trade.
• State sources: archaeology, written records, travelers, oral traditions.
• Power could exist without formal institutions, varying widely.
• State centralization early in Egypt; later states follow expansion patterns.
• Land rights often separated from sovereignty, making control complex.
• Infrastructure (roads, trade routes) vital for state expansion.
• Port cities and trade routes facilitated 19th-century expansions and state growth.
• African political entities often radiated from a core, loose territorial boundaries.
• European colonization imposed new boundaries and central organization.
• The concept of "tribe" is colonial invention, masking diversity.
• Colonial periodization can obscure the deep long-term African historical continuity.
• Societies ranged from stateless to highly organized, centralized entities.

This structured summary captures the essential exam-relevant points in order, emphasizing accuracy, clarity, and high-yield information.