African ethics as a conduit to development

Abstract

The objective of this work is to contribute to the existing literature, a theoretical argument that, African ethics can help in effecting a holistic development. African ethics with its emphasis on the common good and guided by the two cardinal virtues of community and fraternity, can lead to the improvement of people’s quality of life as those virtues are vital in effecting progress in meeting economic, social and environmental betterment. Such a communitarian and fraternal ethics emphasizes good character for all members thereby mal practices like: egoism, corruption, embezzlement, theft, cheating, laziness, violation of human dignity, etc. which hinder the overall wellbeing of people, are detested. Instead, good practices such as accountability/reliability, hard work for sustainability, innovativeness, charity, cooperation, responsibility for fellow human beings and nature at large, and good governance are encouraged which leads to the attainment of social progress and the achievement of a holistic well being for all. African ethic’s principle of participation where all members participate in the matters of their community which is the gist of democracy is of great help in building democratic states. As a way forward, this chapter encourages African communities to revisit African ethical values for their relevancy in the attainment of individual and social progress. The method used in writing this chapter was a desk study research method that was purely qualitative in approach.