The impact of integration into the world market and the transformation effects on the traditional society: a case study of agriculture in North-East Zaire

Abstract

North-East Zaire comprises the regions of Upper Zaire and Kivu, The Zaire populations living in these regions have been divided, according to J.VANSINA, into seven groups of peoples, mainly of Bantu extraction. These traditional societies have an essentially agricultural economy. In this introduction, we hope to bring out the effects of transformation from a study of some characteristic features of the "Bantu" system of agriculture. One of its characteristics is the use of primitive techniques of production, some of which have nevertheless stood the test of time, land and labor are organized in a socioeconomic whole. In other words, it is the social context which, in the traditional society, determines the mobility of factors and how they are acquired.