One of the roles of feudalism in East Africa was to facilitate the emergence and consolidation of centralized states in the interlacustrine region between the 15th and 19th centuries. Feudalism, in the Marxist sense, refers to a mode of production in which the means of production, such as land and cattle, are controlled by a dominant class that extracts surplus from a subordinate class of producers, such as peasants and pastoralists. The dominant class maintains its power through a system of personal dependence, loyalty and service, often expressed in terms of kinship or clientage.


According to Itandala (1986), feudalism developed in East Africa as a result of the interaction between two economic zones: the banana culture zone and the cattle culture zone. The banana culture zone was characterized by intensive agriculture, high population density, and complex social organization. The cattle culture zone was characterized by extensive pastoralism, low population density, and simple social organization. The interaction between these two zones led to the formation of states that combined elements of both cultures, such as Buganda, Bunyoro, Rwanda and Burundi. These states expanded their territories through conquest and colonization, incorporating new lands and peoples into their feudal system.


The feudal system in East Africa differed from the European model in some aspects. For instance, in East Africa, the dominant class was not composed of hereditary nobles, but rather of appointed chiefs or officials who owed their allegiance to the king or paramount chief. The subordinate class was not composed of serfs who were bound to the land, but rather of free peasants who could move from one area to another. The surplus extracted from the peasants was not only in the form of rent or tribute, but also in the form of labor or military service. The feudal system in East Africa was also more flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, such as population growth, environmental change, or external threats.


However, despite these differences, the feudal system in East Africa shared some common features with the European model. For example, both systems involved a hierarchical structure of authority and obligation, based on personal ties rather than impersonal laws. Both systems involved a division of society into classes that had different rights and duties. Both systems involved a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few at the expense of the many. And both systems faced challenges and crises that eventually led to their decline or transformation.


References:


- Itandala, B. (1986). Feudalism in East Africa. Utafiti, 8(2), 29-42.

- Goody, J. (1963). Feudalism in Africa? The Journal of African History, 4(1), 1-18.

- What are the Differences Between African Feudalism and European Feudalism? (2015). HistoryNet. Retrieved from https://www.historynet.com/what-are-the-differences-between-african-feudalism-and-european-feudalism/


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