Traditional Structure and Local Governance for Development

and State-Building

Georg LutzWolf LinderUniversity of Berne, Institute of Political Science

Part 1: Internal Governance and Traditional Power

Structures

Preliminary remarks Problems with decentralisation

Lack of resources (donors and states) Ignorance of existing social and political

structures, western approach of state- building What are traditional structures?

pre-colonial period, historical continuity However: often unclear what is tradition, what

is more modern Every society changes, so do traditional

structures

Varieties in traditional structures Two main important dimension

Degree of integration: how geographically and culturally integrated are traditional societies.

Minority/Majority position: Are traditional communities in a minority (e.g. in America) or majority position (e.g. Africa)

Tradition and modernity simultaneously

Important governance dimensions Legitimacy Social Inclusion Human Rights, Rule of Law Accountability, Responsiveness and

Transparency Conflict resolution and state-building

Legitimacy Legitimacy is what people accept as

legitimate Democracies: constitutions/rule of law,

elections Traditional authorities: historical,

hereditary, divine/religious Co-existence of different authorities

at the same time

Social Inclusion Problematic in some ways

Inheritance of title does not allow changes in leadership

Women often excluded Right of communities exclusive: do not apply

to other groups However

Traditional authorities transformable Local governance often not inclusive either

Human Rights, Rule of Law Possible conflict between human right and

right of self-determination Codification of legal pluralism

Acceptance of (non-codified) customary law? When applies? To whom does it apply to? Can people choose?

Complexity depends on degree of integration

Conflict resolution and state-building Traditional authorities may be more

legitimate + Recognition of traditional

authorities can stabilize country and settle conflict

- Recognition can lead to further ethnic division and social exclusion

Part 2: Traditional power structures and local

government

Arguments for stronger inclusion Non-western approach for state-

building Better inclusion of local population Acceptance of policy implementation Traditional authorities as advocates

for conflict resolution Better responsiveness and

legitimacy

Question marks What is traditional? How to deal with migration? How to deal with simultaneous co-

existence of tradition and modernity? How to deal with competing legal

systems? How to deal with competing moralities? Pluralistic power structure: the essence

Traditional structure separate

election Conflict

ignorance

National Government

Provincial Government

Local Government

Traditional structure

People

Cultural protection

National Government

Provincial Government

Local Government

Traditional structure

People

Traditional structure is local government

election

National Government

Provincial Government

Traditional structure

People: rural areas

Local government

People: urban areas

Traditional structure separate with clear role

election

National Government

Provincial Government

Traditional structure

Local government

People

Provincial house of chiefs

National house of chiefs

Traditional authorities integrated at local level

election

National Government

Provincial Government

Local government Seats for traditional authorities

Elected seats

People

election

Advisory function

National Government

Provincial Government

Traditional structure

Local government

People

Traditional structure participates in local development

Traditional structure

Local development

People

Local government

Government, Donor

organisation

“Modern“ NGO’s

Part 3:Contribution of traditional power

structures to local development

Where to include traditional authorities?

Regulative policies

- Regulation of the social (and religious) structure

- Natural Resource management- Conflict settlement - Local development and

planning

„Traditional“ role of traditional authorities

Distributive and re-distributive policies

“Modern” functions:- Infrastructure- Services (Health, Education)- Policy Implementation- Financing of infrastructure-Tax and revenue collecti-on

- Mechanisms of Accountability, responsiveness and transparency needed to be guaranteed- Technical expertise for implementation needed

Administrative policies

- Administration of citizens, voter registers, birth and death, land registers, etc.

- Resources for administration needed, „modern“ skills and human and financial resources

When to include traditional authorities I No single model for everywhere Need for careful examination of the social

political and economic structures at the local level State

• Level of decentralisation• Functions, Resources of local government,

performance Traditional authorities

• „Tradition of traditional authorities“• Role, legitimacy,transparency, responsiveness of

traditional authority, social inclusion

When to include traditional authorities II

Traditional authorities (legitimacy and performance)

Local government (legitimacy and performance

High Low

High Co-operation local government/

traditional authorities

Strengthening and transformation of local governments

Low Traditional authorities as local

governance, transformation

Need of state-building at the local

level

Changing structures, changing role Any intervention and transformation

changes the power structure of a society

Changing the role of traditional authorities changes their role within a local community as well