African Political Philosophy

Abstract

The chapter will define African Political philosophy in general and Political Ethics as its branch. It will propound the view that Botho is an ethical perspective that can be applied to political discourse. Debates in African Political philosophy have been on the nature of African traditional political systems; whether they conformed to western type of democracy. The modern political African system has been subjected to scrutiny from the perspective of the west. Questions on conformity to western standards of democracy and the ability or lack thereof, to transfer power from one regime to another have been raised. African political ethics is likely to consist of how political players have been failing to conform to western style democratic principles and practices. In this area, the tools of analysis are western type of ethical judgment. This chapter will demonstrate how Botho ethics, an indigenous ethical theory, is comparable to western type of ethical theorizing in political discourse. It will identify political issues that warrant ethical discussion and demonstrate why they are deemed to be ethical matters from a Botho point of view. The question, ‘what is political ethics?’ will be answered through anchoring debates on the theory of Botho that is founded on the idea of ‘a person being a person because of, with and through other people.’ This is the foundation of African Ethics from a Setswana (Botswana) perspective. When extended to politics, it is expressible in the idea that ‘kgosi ke kgosi ka batho’ (A king is a king with, because of and through the people). This exposition will stimulate debate on African Political Ethics. It will extend the debate on African philosophy to the areas of politics and ethics. This is a bold move that a few scholars have attempted to make. Metz has taken the position that there is an African ethical theory that can take its place at the altar of philosophizing alongside western philosophy. This chapter will contribute another angle to that view.KeywordsAfrican PhilosophyPolitical ethicsBotho ethicsUbuntu ethics