Instead, another family had the power to select the next ruler from
among a large number of potential candidates within the ruling
family. If the ruler who was selected ruled unwisely and unfairly,
he could also be deposed. Here was a distinct limitation on royal
absolutism.
In a similar way, there were limitations on the centralization of
economic power. While valuable land in Europe had been captured
and controlled by private ownership and was the possession of a
powerful minority, land in West Africa still belonged to the
community. A powerful family had the right to control and
supervise the use of the land for the welfare of the community,
and, undoubtedly, this power could be misused. Such a family
assigned land to its users along with certain tenure safeguards
which operated to limit even the power of the family. Those using
the land who did not fulfill their obligations to the community by
utilizing it properly and wisely, could have the land taken away
from them. It might then be given to someone else. Both in
economics and in politics, historical custom and precedent has
limited minority power and has protected the welfare of the
community.
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