Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T02:24:03.817Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Administrative Law and Legitimacy in Anglophonic Africa

A Problem in the Reception of Foreign Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

Robert B. Seidman*
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Lawrence Friedman (1969: 29) has written that “many basic questions of the relationship of law to social change and to cultural development have been completely neglected. … How does law brighten or darken the road to political… stability. … What happens when laws are borrowed from more advanced countries?” This paper examines the reception of English administrative law in Anglophonic Africa in an effort to discover some general propositions to answer Professor Friedman's questions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1970 The Law and Society Association.

Footnotes

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am indebted to Professor Y. P. Ghai and Mr. Aki Sawyerr for helpful comments, although errors are, of course, mine. I am grateful to the Russell Sage Foundation and to the Graduate Research Fund of the University of Wisconsin for support in writing this article, which was originally written for a Festchrift in honor of Thomas Hodgkin.

References

Cases

AMERICAN THREAD CO. v. JOYCE (1913) 108 LT 353 (HL).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
APPLICATION OF MIDDLE (1937) 1 TLR (R) 129.Google Scholar
ASSOCIATED PROVINCIAL PICTURE HOUSES v. WEDNESBURY CORPORATION (1948) 1 K.B. 223.Google Scholar
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF KENYA v. M. R. SHAH TRADING AS TANGA TRADING CO. (1959) EA 375.Google Scholar
BERKDALE DISTRICT ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CO. v. SOUTHPORT CORPORATION (1926) AC 355 (fettering discretion).Google Scholar
BERNARD v. NATIONAL DOCK LABOUR BOARD (1953) 2 QB 18.Google Scholar
CABABE v. WALTON-ON-THOMAS UDC (1914) AC 102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CHIEF MAILI v. CHIEF MJUMBA (1961) R & NLR 472 (F.S.).Google Scholar
COLONIAL BOOT CO. v. D. BYRAMJEE AND SONS (1952) 19 EACA 125.Google Scholar
DAVIS v. GRAND FUNCTIONAL CANAL (1852) 3 HCL 759.Google Scholar
DISTRICT COMMISSIONER KIAMBU v. REX ex parte ETHAN HJAU (1960) EA 109.Google Scholar
DOGGETT v. WATERLOO TAXI-CAB CO. (1910) 2 KB 336.Google Scholar
ENTRICK v. CARINGTON (1760) 19 St. Tr. 1030.Google Scholar
FORNICA v. ANISOLIA (1957) EACA 263 (T).Google Scholar
GMC v. U.K. DENTAL BOARD (1936) Ch. 41.Google Scholar
GARD v. COMMISSIONER OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF LONDON (1885) 28 Ch.D 486 (illicit objectives).Google Scholar
GRAY v. REX (1907) 2 EAPLR 40.Google Scholar
GULAMHUSEIN FAEDHON AND SONS v. HOUSE TAX COMMITTEE (1953) LONDI 2 TLR (R) 255.Google Scholar
HARRIES v. REX (1920) REX 8 EAPLR 186.Google Scholar
In the matter of Sec. 24 of the Milling Ordinance (1952) 2 TLR (R) 205.Google Scholar
THE KING v. UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (1723) 1 STR. 557.Google Scholar
KWEKU BAA v. NYAIKU KWEKU (1955) V 2 W.A.C.A. 40.Google Scholar
LA SOUZA v. CHAIRMAN (1961) EA 377.Google Scholar
MARGAN AND SONS v. TRANSPORT APPEAL TRIBUNAL (1959) EA 1 (K).Google Scholar
MASUD ABDUL AZIZ v. NINJI KANJI (n.d.) 2 TLR (R) 265.Google Scholar
MATTER OF LAND CONTROL ORDINANCE (1944) 20 KLR 15.Google Scholar
MBUI v. REX (1951) 24 (1) KLR 130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLER v. MINISTER OF HEALTH (1946) KB 626.Google Scholar
NEWDGA v. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF NAIROBI LIQUOR LICENSING COURT (1957) EA 709 (K).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NTHAH v. BENNICH (1932) AC 72.Google Scholar
NUTTING v. DIRECTOR OF LANDS & MINES (1937) 4 TLR 100.Google Scholar
OLE NJOGO v. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (1913) 5 EAPLR 70.Google Scholar
OLYUMI v. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR WESTERN REGION (1954) 14 WACA 624 (Nigeria).Google Scholar
OSAN DADZIE VI v. THE HON. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (1933) 1 WACA 271 (Gold Coast).Google Scholar
PATEL v. PLATEAU LICENSING COURT (1954) 27 KLR 147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PORVELL v. MINISTER OF PENSIONS (1946) 1 A11 ER 664.Google Scholar
REX v. ANREYA KALAWA (1948) LRNR 218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
REX v. BEN (1942) SR 154.Google Scholar
REX v. JUMBA BIN MWALIMU (1916) 6 EALR 175.Google Scholar
REX v. KALAWA (1948) LRNR 218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
REX v. MEREDETH JJ. (1844) 6 QB 153.Google Scholar
REX v. MOHAMED EMAN (1945) 21 (2) KLR 47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
REX v. UBERLE (1938) ITLR (R) 672 (EACA).Google Scholar
ROSS v. MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF DAR ES SALAAM (1953) 2 TLR (R) 172.Google Scholar
SCRIMS MOTOR UNITS LTD. v. MINISTER OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE (1946) 2 A11 ER 201 (sub-delegation.).Google Scholar
SIKUBUZA v. DIRECTOR OF LAND AND SURVEYS (1960) EA 808 (U).Google Scholar
SMITH v. GENERAL MOTOR CO. (1911) AAC 188.Google Scholar
STEVENS v. MOSHI WATER BOARD (1927) 1 TLR (R) 48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VINE v. NATIONAL DOCK LABOUR BOARD (1957) AC 488.Google Scholar
WAINAIRU WA CATHOMA v. MWITA WA LUDAGAR (1921) 9 KLR 102.Google Scholar

References

AARONOVITCH, S. and K., AARONOVITCH (1947) Crisis in Kenya. London: Lawrence & Wishart.Google Scholar
ASANTI, S. K. B. (1965) “Interests in land and in the customary law of Ghana–a new approach.” Yale Law J. 74 (April): 848885.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BERTRAM, A. (1930) The Colonial Service. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.Google Scholar
BRADLEY, K. (1966) Once a District Officer. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
BUELL, A. L. (1928) The Native Problem in Africa. New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
CHIDZERO, B. T. G. (1961) Tanganyika and International Trusteeship. London: Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
CLAYTON, E. S. (1959) “Safeguarding agrarian development in Kenya.” J. of African Administration 11 (July): 144150.Google Scholar
Service, Colonial (1950) The Colonial Service as a Career. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
CREECH-JONES, A. (1949) “The place of African local administration in colonial policy.” J. of African Administration 1 (January): 36.Google Scholar
CROCKER, W. R. (1947) On Governing Colonies. London: George Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
DILLEY, M. R. (1966) British Policy in Kenya Colony. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
ETZIONI, A. (1965) “Organizational control and structure,” Pp. 650677 in March, J. G. (ed.) Handbook for Organizations. Chicago: Rand McNally.Google Scholar
EVANS, E. W. (1950) “Principles and methods of administration in the British Colonial Empire,” pp. 9-19 in Principles and Methods of Colonial Administration. London: Buttersworth Scientific Pubns.Google Scholar
FRIEDMAN, L. (1969) “Legal culture and social development.” Law & Society Rev. 4 (August): 2944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FURSE, R. (1962) Aucuparius: Recollections of a Recruiting Officer. London: Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
GHAI, Y. P. (1969) “Ombudsmen and others.” East African J. 6 (August): 3036.Google Scholar
GHAI, Y. P. (1967) “Independence and safeguards in Kenya.” East African Law J. 3 (September).Google Scholar
GROSS, B. M. (1964) The Managing of Organizations. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
GROVE, D. L. (1963) “The ”sentinels“ of liberty': the Nigerian judiciary and fundamental rights.” J. of African Law 7 (Autumn): 152171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HEUSSLER, R. (1963) Yesterday's Rulers: The Making of the British Colonial Service. London: Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
JAPHET, K. and E., SEATON (1967) The Meru Land Case. Nairobi: East Africa Publishing House.Google Scholar
LA PALOMBARA, J. (1965) “Bureaucracy and political development: notes, queries, and dilemmas,” Pp. 3461 in Palombara, J. La (ed.) Bureaucracy and Political Development. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press.Google Scholar
LEE, R. (1967) Colonial Government and Good Government. Oxford: London Press.Google Scholar
LUGARD, F. D. (1964) “The white man's task in tropical Africa,” Pp. 518 in Quigg, P. W. (ed.) Africa: A Foreign Affairs Reader. New York: Frederick A. Praeger.Google Scholar
Lugard, F. D. (1926) The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa. London: Blackwood.Google Scholar
MAITLAND, F. W. (1908) Constitutional History of England. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.Google Scholar
MERTON, R. K. (1957) Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
The Meru Land Problem. (1952) Dar es Salaam: Government Printer.Google Scholar
MUNRO, A. (1966) “Land law in Kenya.” Wise. Law Rev. 1966 (Fall): 10711095.Google Scholar
NICULESCU, B. (1958) Colonial Planning: A Comparative Study. London: George Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
ORDE-BROWN, G. S. J. (1946) Labor Conditions in East Africa. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
PADMORE, G. (1953) The Gold Coast Revolution. London: Dennis Dobson.Google Scholar
Report of the Presidential Commission on the Establishment of a Democratic One-Party State (1966) Dar es Salaam: Government Printer.Google Scholar
RIGGS, F. W. (1965) “Bureaucrats and political development: a paradoxical view,” Pp. 120167 in Palombara, J. La (ed.) Bureaucracy and Political Development. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press.Google Scholar
ROSS, W. M. (1927) Kenya from Within: A Short Political History. London: George Allen & Urwin.Google Scholar
SEIDMAN, R. B. (1969a) “The reception of English law in colonial Africa revisited.” Eastern African Law Rev. 2 (April): 4785.Google Scholar
SEIDMAN, R. B. (1969b) “Constitutions in independent, Anglo-phonic, Sub-Saharan Africa: form and legitimacy.” Wise. Law Rev. 1969, 1: 83127.Google Scholar
SEIDMAN, R. B. (1965) “Constitutional limitations on the judicial review of administrative decisions in Nigeria.” Nigerian Law J. 2 (Winter): 232256.Google Scholar
SELZNICK, P. (1948) “Foundations of the theory of organizations.” Amer. Soc. Rev. 13 (February): 2835.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
deSMITH, S. A. (1959) Judicial Review of Administrative Action. London: Stevens.Google Scholar
SORENSON, M. P. K. (1967) Land Reform in the Kikuyu Country. Nairobi: Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
STIGAND, C. H. (1914) Administration in Tropical Africa. London: Constable.Google Scholar
SZERESZEWSKI, R. (1965) Structural Changes in the Economy of Ghana, 1891-1911. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.Google Scholar
WADE, H. W. R. (1967) Administrative Law. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
WEBER, M. (1947) The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
WODDIS, J. (1960) Africa: The Roots of Revolt. New York: Citadel Press.Google Scholar