The Politics of Law in Mozambique: Customary Authority and Changing Premises of Legal Reform

摘要: During the last thirty years Mozambique has undergone two major processes of socio-political transformation, which have culminated in creation new legal systems. The first change took place atindependence 1975, when a state-socialist system was adopted; second came twenty later liberal-democratic model embraced. Setting out from Lotmanian semiotics,this paper analyses political context Mozambique. analysis shows that collapse radical project 1980s linked to centre's failure establish its metalanguage over periphery, and penetrate transform cultural memory rural population. this period culture ruling party changed rule-focused expression-focused, becoming at same time increasingly defensive pragmatic. latest phase debate concentrated on local communities role customary institutions. Both are burdened with contradictory textual memories, parties failed reconcile. However, due strong institutional position managed maintain centralised control, albeit an altered support it.