African traditions encompass the history of human civilization and devise right relationships as their core values. The African tradition enjoins their leaders as well as citizens to act with compassion and thoughtful tenderness towards others, which is the hallmark of the noblest spirit of humanity. Humans’ acts of decency, respect, and fair play have allowed societies to evolve from their primitive beginnings to conditions where the rule of law, ethics, morality, and a constitution of rights and privileges protect men and women in our modern diverse society. This paper seeks to explain and portray a specific pattern of the realization of the good society in modern African societies, with Ghana as an example of the African society.
Reference to Burke’s reflections on the French revolution, social institutions is a kind of accumulated possessions of the society (Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013). A society ordered properly will be consecrated amid significant capacities of this capital. The social institutions have a very certain characteristics. It is built over time and not a carefully planned tangle of arrangements of society as well as patterns of thought, passed down, owing to generations as part of the culture.
The social institutions of the society have overtime given identity to the members of the society. The identification of the integrated pattern of knowledge of the people, their customary beliefs, social forms, and their material traits also is a characteristic feature of everyday shared by society. This identification of the society provides an inalienable right to these people in their everyday life. These rights come along with its accorded responsibility and duties for every member of the society to perform as a...
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... the mid-1900s to capitalism (Nkrumah, 1957). Most liberal state abstain from nationalist rules because they conflict with the liberties of citizens and the marginalized minority ethnic groups and undermine cultural diversity. One can argue or contend that nationalist policies like preservation, protection and enhancement of the national distinctiveness and culture and the beliefs and the principles of the majority will come into conflict with the core values of liberalism (Lacewing, 2013).
In the pursuit off the good society, the society upon realizing its identification on the citizenry by their traditions and culture with the basics of right and responsibility. A system of government that embraces freedom and the liberties of its citizenry to follow their individual interest in the common good of the society as Luther King Jr. hoped for in generation to come
Fiero, Gloria K. "Africa: Gods, Rulers, and the Social Order." The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed.
This theory explains the relationship between "Institutions" and "Individual actions" are aground in "practical reasoning" to which the individual connect with, and adjust the accessible institutional sources to devise a game-plan. Sociological institutionalists contend that associations regularly grasp another institutional practice, not on the grounds that it advances the methods closes effectiveness of the association but since it moves forward the "social legitimacy" of the association or its members. At the end of the day, association's affiliations get a handle on specific institutional structures or practices in light of the fact that a definitive is generally esteemed inside a more extensive social environment. Institutions have authority and power which influences the individual's activity. Eventually, this is an issue about the wellsprings of social power. A divide of the sociological institutionalists highlights the route in which a cutting edge condition of opening up administrative degree setting numerous practices on societal associations by "public fiat".
...h political and financial equality, forming the foundation for everlasting peace. This ideal society would be ruled by a government that truly represents the people and endeavors to direct its citizens on the route to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As Sir Francis Bacon said, "Man seeketh in society comfort, use, and protection."
The differences between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke’s assertions on politics revolve around the two men’s views on the necessity of the French Revolution of between 1789 and 1799. Apparently, the social and political upheaval that shook France in the ten years questioned the absolute Monarchial rule of the French Monarch and in turn, sought to destroy the social hierarchies defined by the aristocrats. In other words, power was subject to the lineage in which an individual is born and for that reason, social infrastructures remained rigid with little to no mobility for the low-class citizens. In answer to the changes sought out by the rebelling French communities, Edmund Burke’s release of the “Reflections on
Most of this documentary supports and clarifies my understanding of contemporary African culture. During the course I’ve learned that traditional African leadership structures undertook great changes under colonial rule and continue to progress today. Pre-colonial Africa had several different states characterized by different types of leadership; these involved small family groups of hunter and gatherers, bigger organized clan groups, and micro nations. Many African communities are still being governed by a council of elders, which is responsible for facilitating conflict and making almost all the important decisions within the public.
Nationalism was strongly endorsed by the middle class, including intellectuals, professors, students and journalists. These groups of middle class professionals were also the driving force behind the liberal movement that coincides with nationalism. The idea that society could progress and reform was tied to nationalism and is part of the appeal that captivated the middle class. Those who would have opposed the idea of nationalism would have been the same people who opposed liberal reform, namely those already in a position of power. As people cried out for democratic systems of government and reform they were met with opposition from aristocrats and members of the ruling elite who had a stake in preserving their own interests. Nobles, powerful landowners and the career politicians would have been opposed to changes that would require them to cede power and influence in the name of progress.
The ram pant and complex nature of political instability and socioeconomic malaise being experience in most African states today have recourse to the nature and character of classes introduced in Africa by colonialism. The economic and other resources of Africa are shared between the petty bourgeoisie and their colonial counterparts, even in this contemporary time. The nature of political power struggle and distribution of wealth, as well as economic resources in the contemporary African state, are a reflection of the understanding and harmony of interest between the African petty bourgeoisie and their colonial partners or friends. The severe impoverishment of most Africans by their petty bourgeois rulers and marginalisation as well as oppression
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
... value. Lay people are likely to use the term institution, for hospitals, clinics, prisons, and many other objects as institutions. For this reason, institutions are Family, education and religion important and also it is important in Charles Dickens’ novel. Moreover, many events and characters like David, Mr. Edward, and Mrs. Gummidge etc. are the people that represent different types of behaviors, attitudes and have different values and different stages in the same norms society. As usual, society is consisting of different type, age, race, and gender people and these people belong to different values and cultures. To keep them together, there are some unwritten prescriptive and proscriptive norms. Sometimes, because of individuals’ culture, norms and values are conflicting. Avoiding from conflicting generally is insensible for society’s future and developments.
The question, “ What makes a good society” is never the same for every individual that comes across trying to answer this sociological question. What may work in one society, may not work in another. But I am guessing you already new that. Depending on the type of culture, location and era; a good society can be anything. If you were to have been raised in the western side of the world, your good society is one of a democracy. Where the people have power and we have checks and balances in our government. But what if you were raised in the east, were people live in a socialist-communistic society. Where the government has the power and people are treated equally. Who is to say which type of society is “good”?
Kaduna: Baraka Press, 2004. Magesa, Laurenti. A. African Religion: The Moral Tradition of Abundant Life. Nairobi: Pauline Pub., Africa, 1998. Mbiti, John S. Introduction to African Religion.
Being a prehistoric practice, thousands of nations already consider it as a part of their culture. For several societies, it is deemed as the embodiment of organization and quintessence of order. That being said, a promising answer to eliminate such negative tradition is to abolish the old set of practices with the power of a social contract. The theory of a social contract revolves on the construction of a set of governing rules that are benefiting to and accepted by all people (Locke, 1689). Thus, through embedding a social contract in the constitutional bill of rights, there will be less differentiation between demographics and more equality concepts and processes. Although the idea seems idealistic it comes with consequence, the contract is a very fragile subject matter, for if one disagrees to the terms of the contract it will then be void, creating a greater conflict. Nevertheless, the creation of a social contract is an answer to the dilemma of social stratification and ultimately benefits all citizens but the consensus of all has to be obtained. (Process
At the start of the revolution, in 1789, France’s class system changed dramatically (Giddens, 2014). Aristocrats lost wealth and status, while those who were at the bottom of the social ladder, rose in positions. The rise of sociology involved the unorthodox views regarding society and man which were once relevant during the Enlightenment (Nisbet, 2014). Medievalism in France during the eighteenth century was still prevalent in its “legal structures, powerful guilds, in its communes, in the Church, in universities, and in the patriarchal family” (Nisbet, 2014). Philosophers of that time’s had an objective to attempt to eliminate the natural law theory of society (Nisbet, 2014). The preferred outcome was a coherent order in which the mobility of individuals would be unrestricted by the autonomous state (French Revolution). According to Karl Marx, economic status is extremely important for social change. The peasants felt the excess decadence of the ancient regime was at the expense of their basic standards of living, thus fuelling Marx’s idea of class based revolutions and the transition of society (Katz, 2014). This can be observed, for example, in novels such as Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a novel that had a role for mobilizing the attitudes of the
Before taking this class, my understanding between each individual and the whole society is that every individuals as the gear are connected together to become a society like a machine. That is, human beings build the society. However, the class gave me bigger view of the relationship between the people and the society. Discussing about the relationship between me and the broader social world is based on how all human beings and the broader social world effect together. Thus, I am going to show my understanding from the class and reading about the interaction between each individual and the whole society.
Society is a group of people, live together. Throughout the history of human evolution, we can see many type of human society, such as Hunting-gathering societies, Horticultural societies, Agrarian societies, and Industrial societies. A lot of human ancient societies gradually unsuitable to the human evolution and were destroyed by the time. Also, some of new societies are exist and becomes our societies today. However, are these new societies better for the people? Throughout of the human history, people tried to find a thing call ideal society that all of members will satisfied with their life. So, what exactly an ideal society is? Some people think an ideal society means a wealth country that don’t have hunger or poverty. Or, ideal society