An Ethical Appraisal of Women and Bridewealth in African philosophy

Abstract

In a typical African culture, bridewealth is an obligation that must be fulfilled by the betrothed male to the family of the bride. Bridewealth is the compensation to the wife’s family for the loss of her domestic and agricultural labour (the daughter), and it formalizes the transfer of reproductive rights to the husband’s family (Chae et al., 2021). It appears that there is a reciprocal benefit for the two families, however, it has been found that the payment of bridewealth is a cause of domestic violence and reproductive constraints. In the ensuing discussion, we argue that while in the African culture, the wife has to fulfill various duties to the husband, the adverse effects of bridewealth payment must not be overlooked. This paper makes an ethical appraisal of the bridewealth in Ghana by examining it through the lense of various normative ethical theories. It discusses the moral imperative that deontology poses to the woman. Furthermore, we will assess virtue ethics and the teleological ethical theories within the context of marriage in Ghana. Through our evaluation, we deem Aristotle’s virtue ethics to be a feasible means through which the payment of bridewealth will alleviate the pernicious effects it has on women.