GLOBALIZATION AND AFRICAN COMMON NORMS: A PHILOSOPHICAL INTROSPECTION

Résumé

The purpose of this essay is to show that globalization as a practice and a phenomenon is attuned to the norms, traditions and mental makeup of many African societies. Incidentally, it has equally demonstrated that, more than formal institutions and complex legal systems. The earliest and most enduring superstructure of globalization are to be found in norms around salient social practice, and this is where African societies not only differ from, but also have an edge over Western ones. Five major norms that support globalization in Africa on areas including: Trade; strong economic activities has existed in Africa before the emergence of slave trade, Communality; norms around the practice of communal help have existed in Africa before colonialism, and still exist today, Arts and literature; a deeper look into the African artistic tradition would reveal that the continent has been gradually moving towards unity of form, taste and purpose in arts, literature and music for centuries, Language and Communication; nothing speaks loud about the common root and complex relationships of African civilization than language, and Gendered division of labour; a common chord runs through traditional societies in subSaharan Africa with respect to economic sex-dependency. The paper passionately submits that Africa is most amenable for globalization and further predicted that African norms will continue to make conditions favorable for development of globalization in a way in which the continent will be less exposed to globalization's excesses.