Économie, société et pouvoir chez les Duala anciens. - article ; n°59 ; vol.15, pg 361-380

Georges Balandier

Description

Cahiers d'études africaines - Année 1975 - Volume 15 - Numéro 59 - Pages 361-380
G. Balandier — ~~Economy, Power and Society among the Ancient Duala~~. The ancient Duala society was originally based on conquest followed by the establishment of a mono- poly of trade between the African hinterland and the out-side world. The social institutions were characterized by a complex balance between, on the one hand, a segmentary system based upon kinship and, on the other hand, a system of 'orders' or 'estates' closely linked to the economy and expressed through the organisation of ritual associations, the main ones—~~ngondo~~ and~~ jengu~~—acting for the ideological maintenance and cohesion of the whole Duala group. Despite the early and intense contacts with European traders, the goods—~~inyam~~—were considered as elements of human personality rather than merchandise, and, as such, their circulation and exchange had a political and ritual value as much as or rather more than an economie one. The system resulted into a double faced social dynamics—outside/inside—which, up to the recent colonial period, proved itself able to adapt rather well to social change.
20 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique

Informations

• Publié par: CAHIERS_D-ETUDES_AFRICAINES
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1975
• Nombre de lectures: 9
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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