6 Questions
What were some of the roles of the Batswana chiefs in maintaining good governance?
Making legislation, making administrative decisions, allocating land usage, commanding labor, and collecting tribute.
How could a Batswana chief lose support from his followers?
A chief could lose support through poor governance, which would lead to his followers shifting their support to an alternative candidate for chiefship.
What major event caused turmoil among the Batswana in the second half of the eighteenth century?
The insatiable appetite of the Portuguese for slave exports from Angola and Mozambique.
How did the Portuguese slave trade impact the Batswana population?
It led to massive displacements as people fled from slave raiders.
What was the significance of public meetings (kgotlas) in the governance of the Batswana chiefdoms?
Decisions made in public meetings could curtail the powers of the chief if support shifted away from him to an alternative candidate for chiefship.
How did the Batswana chiefs ensure benefit to the community through their powers?
They commanded labor for projects of benefit to the community and collected various forms of tribute.
Explore how colonisation and slavery impacted the political systems of Batswana chiefdoms, post-Difaqane. Learn about the governance structure, consultation processes, and consequences for chiefs who failed in their roles.
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