Abstract

Regressions in the moral practical consciousness of politicians during decolonization in Sierra Leone created the precondition for a crisis-ridden post-Independence social order.  Using the Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy, and the Critical Theory of Society, the paper  analyzes epochal political discourses during decolonization to explicate normative deficits in the  society’s attempt to realize a constitutional democratic state. This research demonstrates why the discourse paradigm of law and democracy, and critical social theory overcome the limits of paradigms of law, democracy, and social development informed by individualism, or production. The paper argues that a modern (post traditional) society, which fails to institutionalize rational discourse (dialogue), impedes its own political development, and political autonomy.