POLISHING THE PEARLS OF INDIGENOUS AFRICAN THOUGHTS: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF KWAME GYEKYE’S MODERATE COMMUNITARIANISM

The debate over whether the community holds superiority over the individual, or vice versa, has been a subject of significant controversy in contemporary academic discussions. It is evident that there is a delicate relationship between the individual and the community. In this context, Indigenous African Communitarianism (IAC) advocates for the community's superiority over the individual. However, Kwame Gyekye, a renowned African philosopher, disagrees. Despite being a communitarian, Gyekye argues that IAC's emphasis on the community over the individual is extreme. He proposes a new theory, Moderate Communitarianism (MC), which he believes offers equal consideration to both the community's and the individual's interests. 

However, through a method of textual analysis—examining both primary and secondary sources—this study concludes that Gyekye fails to truly balance the interests of the community and the individual. Contrary to Gyekye's claim, IAC is not radical. In fact, this work demonstrates that IAC is fair, as it acknowledges the importance of both the community and the individual. This study serves as a valuable reference for shaping perspectives on improving the relationship between individuals and the community.