The Economic and Social Character of Pre-Colonial States in Tropical Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	The Economic and Social Character of Pre-Colonial States in Tropical Africa
Author:	Buttner, Thea
Year:	1970
Periodical:	Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria
Volume:	5
Issue:	2
Period:	June
Pages:	275-289
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Subsaharan Africa
Subjects:	feudalism history History and Exploration Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
Abstract:	In the pre-colonial period many peoples of Tropical Africa attained a relatively high standard of development. In the region south of the Sahara existed many important state formations: Ghana (climax 9th-11th centuries), Mali (13th and 14th centuries), the citystates of Ife and Benin on the Guinea Coast as well as Kilwa, Mombasa, Malindi, Sofala etc. on the East African Coast (13th-16th centuries, and in some cases earlier), the feudal Ethiopian Empire (from the 13th century), Songhai, Bornu, Kongo, Loango and Lunda Empires, Monomotapa (i.e. Mwene Mutapa and also Monoemugi (climax 15th-17th centuries) as well as the recent feudal creations of the 18th and 19th centuries viz. the states of Buganda, Rwanda, Urundi Dahomey, the Fulani and Toucouleur Islamic states, Futa Toro, Futa Jalon, Massina, Sokoto and the tribal organizations of the Zulus, Matabele, and Ashanti. This essay shows some characteristics of African feudal development in order to provide an account of the basis character of the social-economic structure of the above mentioned African states in the pre-colonial period. Notes.