Land-tenure in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the land-tenure system of the Akan (Asante) of Ghana
This study investigates the ideas and conceptions underlying the religious, political and socio-economic principles governing landholding in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the system of land-tenure among the Akan people of Ghana. The Asante as a social unit is used to represent the entire Akan group as a microcosm of the world picture. The primary thrust of the thesis is that the Hebrew Bible reflects some basic conceptions of land which can be compared and contrasted with a contemporary socio-economic system of land administration for implications of land-tenure and use. The Hebrew Bible presents three main types of land ownership: 1) divine ownership of land, a basic theological assertion that land belongs to Yahweh absolutely and that all others, including Israel are God's tenants; 2) communal ownership of land based on the segmentary patrilineage system whereby the tribes and families hold land in trust for members of the community; 3) private ownership of land, an innovation developed as a result of social change. The Asante traditional belief also accepts the principle of divine ownership of land, but while it attributes creation to God, it also affirms that land basically belongs to the ancestors who
Frimpong-Manso, Yaw
Belief; Divine ownership; Distribution; God
Land-tenure in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the land-tenure system of the Akan (Asante) of Ghana. This study investigates the ideas and conceptions underlying the religious, political and socio-economic principles governing landholding in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the system of land-tenure among the Akan people of Ghana. The Asante as a social unit is used to represent the entire Akan group as a microcosm of the world picture. The primary thrust of the thesis is that the Hebrew Bible reflects some basic conceptions of land which can be compared and contrasted with a contemporary socio-economic system of land administration for implications of land-tenure and use. The Hebrew Bible presents three main types of land ownership: 1) divine ownership of land, a basic theological assertion that land belongs to Yahweh absolutely and that all others, including Israel are God's tenants; 2) communal ownership of land based on the segmentary patrilineage system whereby the tribes and families hold land in trust for members of the community; 3) private ownership of land, an innovation developed as a result of social change. The Asante traditional belief also accepts the principle of divine ownership of land, but while it attributes creation to God, it also affirms that land basically belongs to the ancestors who
land_tenure hebrew_bible relation land_tenure system ghana study_investigate idea conception underlie religious_political socio_economic principle_govern landholding hebrew_bible relation system_land tenure among people ghana social unit use represent entire group microcosm world_picture primary thrust hebrew_bible reflect basic conception land compare_contrasted contemporary socio_economic system_land administration implication land_tenure use hebrew_bible present three_main type land_ownership divine ownership land basic theological assertion land belongs yahweh absolutely others include israel god tenant communal ownership land base system whereby tribes family hold land trust member_community private ownership land innovation develop social_change traditional belief also accept principle divine ownership land attribute creation god also affirm land basically belong ancestor