Human dignity in African communitarianism.
Loading...
Date
2018
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study examines the extent to which African communitarian thought succeeds in the promotion
of human dignity without having to call upon human rights. As well as being considered as a
central value within social and political philosophy, human dignity is also critical to policy
formulations within spheres is has tremendous influence such as bioethics, medicine, politics, and
law. Generally, the promotion of human dignity has been conceived from the liberal point of view,
and specifically through human rights and their institutions. Ontologically, liberalism prioritises
the individual and her rights over her community. Respect for one’s dignity is in this regard
synonymous with respect for individual rights. This conception excludes the non-liberal thought
systems which are regarded as inimical to the human dignity project on the basis that they do not
prioritise individual rights and freedoms. On this basis, the non-liberal thought systems have been
perceived as anachronistic and authoritarian, and therefore considered as dissing human dignity.
However, since human dignity is generally regarded as a concept more fundamental than human
rights, it cannot be reduced to a single value system at the exclusion of others. Thus, through
human rights, liberalism presents a particular vision of individual-community relationships in
which the individual is primary. Subsequently, this relationship points to a particular way of
understanding human dignity. As different societies live by different value systems, there exist
corresponding ways through which such societies express and enhance human dignity. It is in this
regard that the study attempts to demonstrate the extent to which African communitarianism, one
of the non-liberal intellectual traditions and considered as a dominant conceptual theme in African
thought, is capable of securing human dignity. Specifically, the study examines certain values that
are central to the African communitarian thought system for their consistency with the dignity of
human persons in its broader sense. Within African communitarianism, the individual-community
relationship prioritises the reality of the community over and above that of the individual. This can
be seen by emphasis laid on such values as interdependence, consensus and the common good.
Normatively, they all point to the centrality of the community and one’s duty towards its
flourishing. Thus, the sort of dignity that can be derived from the African communitarian thought
goes beyond the bounds of individual persons exercising their freedom as emphasised within the
liberal tradition. Dignity in this regard concerns the flourishing of persons not as individuals, but
as members of the community. Thus, contrary to the criticism by proponents of the liberal value
systems, the non-liberal thought systems can be shown to be capable of securing human dignity to
the extent that dignity is conceived from a holistic point of view. Since the basic aim of every
community is to serve people who are its members, respect to community and its values is an
indication of respect for human dignity. In this way, the African communitarian thought offers a
competitive alternative to the liberal conception of human dignity. In this regard it would be wrong
to make judgements about the African communitarian thought system by employing a conception
of dignity that is inconsistent with the African value systems themselves.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.