Endogenous mechanisms of public participation in Benin. A precolonial legacy rooted in contemporaneity
The contribution of African traditional structures to participative democracy is little known. At a time of debates on the renewal of participative procedures, this article aims to outline some of the negotiation forms of collective decision-making in Benin outside formal administrative frameworks. The article characterizes four endogenous devices widely used by communities and analyzes their contribution to the efficiency of decision-making by structured citizen involvement and by acquiring popular endorsement in public action. It argues that the exercise of democracy is not incompatible with the coexistence of the sacred and certain monarchic attributes of African micro-societies. The article then highlights the conditions in which existing mechanisms not set in modern regulations improve collective decision-making and can be used as markers in the efficiency of its action.