Communalism existed for much longer time than any other mode of production in Africa. It ranges from emergency of man more than one million years ago and existed during stone and iron age. Some of African societies like Khoisan speaking people in the dry Kalahari region of modern day Botswana and Mbuti society from modern day democratic republic of Congo, are still living in communalism mode of production.
The following are characteristics of communalism mode of production:
- Full democracy, this is because about all members of the society had to make decision to arrive at the solution regardless of their sexes
- Lack of specialization, this is because all people in the society are supposed to do all jobs together jobs include tool making, gathering fruits, preparing shelter and hunting.
- Low level of development, this is because there was no surplus
- No private ownership of means of production. this means that the means of production such as land, tools and weapons belong to the community .
- Absence of exploitation, the communal societies had neither exploiters or exploited
- No surplus, all production was for keeping members of the societies alive on daily basis.
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