Kwabena,
I agree. It wasn't only Nkrumah; Nyerere and to a lesser extent Sekou Toure and a few others also recognized that and also tried to engineer economic freedom--but all of them did so AFTER winning political independence. They all (some more reluctantly than others) settled for less than ideal decolonization/independence arrangements that effectively preserved a compromised, neocolonial economic arrangement in the hope that they could then use political independence as a springboard to pursue economic freedom--hence the mantra of "seek ye first the political kingdom....". Some conservative African indepdence leaders, having won political independence, never bothered to wean their off the neocolonial arrangements let alone to try to attain economic freedom. Others like Nkrumah and Nyerere started working towards economic freedom immediately political independence was won, implementing radical economic policies and grand projects. Their success or failure in this endeavor to bring about economic freedom is a matter of debate.It is precisely the fact that some of these leaders (Nkrumah, Nyerere, and a few others) dared to depart from the compromised independence agreements/settlements to pursue economic freedom for their countries that put them in the bad books of the former colonizers and their Western allies. Nkrumah was seen as a particularly egregious offender who could infect other leaders and so something had to be done about him--if you know what I mean.
Apologies for mispelling your name the first time.
On Sat, Dec 7, 2013 at 7:41 AM, Moses Ebe Ochonu <meochonu@gmail.com> wrote:
Kwabene,I agree. It wasn't only Nkrumah; Nyerere and to a lesser extent Sekou Toure and a few others also recognized that and also tried to engineer economic freedom--but all of them did so AFTER winning political independence. They all (some more reluctantly than others) settled for less than ideal decolonization/independence arrangements that effectively preserved a compromised, neocolonial economic arrangement in the hope that they could then use political independence as a springboard to pursue economic freedom--hence the mantra of "seek ye first the political kingdom....". Some conservative African indepdence leaders, having won political independence, never bothered to wean their off the neocolonial arrangements let alone to try to attain economic freedom. Others like Nkrumah and Nyerere started working towards economic freedom immediately political independence was won, implementing radical economic policies and grand projects. Their success or failure in this endeavor to bring about economic freedom is a matter of debate.It is precisely the fact that some of these leaders (Nkrumah, Nyerere, and a few others) dared to depart from the compromised independence agreements/settlements to pursue economic freedom for their countries that put them in the bad books of the former colonizers and their Western allies. Nkrumah was seen as a particularly egregious offender who could infect other leaders and so something had to be done about him--if you know what I mean.On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 5:58 PM, Akurang-Parry, Kwabena <KAParr@ship.edu> wrote:
Moses:
I think Nkrumah clearly understood economic freedom and political independence and made great efforts to sustain both as an integral part of nation-building. His economic policies in Ghana and his writings clearly illustrate this.
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Moses Ebe Ochonu [meochonu@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, December 06, 2013 12:38 PM
To: USAAfricaDialogue
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Reuters on Nelson Msndela
Fair, if hackneyed, critique of Mandela's settlement with the white establishment. But how is Mandela different in this respect from the overwhelming majority of African nationalist actors who led their various colonial territories to independence? Was Mandela not simply following in the footsteps of previous African nationalists who, in decolonization negotiations, were forced to choose between a delayed or denied independence and a compromised settlement that kept economic power and influence in the hands of "departing" colonial countries or gave them privileged economic access while preserving the dependences that imperiled the economic futures of Africans/blacks? Even in colonial territories where decolonization negotiations occurred because of armed struggle (the Portuguese colonies, Zimbabwe), the nationalist figures faced a variant of this tough choice. Even radical Mugabe reluctantly embraced a settlement at Lancaster House that effectively preserved while economic privileges and dominant land ownership, belatedly and unilaterally embarking on the so-called Fast Track land redistribution scheme when he found himself in political trouble, his power threatened.
Mandela did exactly what other African nationalist figures, facing a tough choice imposed by the white oppressors, did; he pragmatically chose political freedom, trading economic freedom for it. In other words, like Nkrumah and other nationalist predecessors across Africa, Mandela embraced the mantra of "seek ye first the political kingdom and all other things shall be added onto you." The failure of the latter part of this mantra to materialize in South Africa cannot be blamed on Mandela alone.--
On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 10:38 AM, Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com> wrote:
--"Mandela kept on saying: 'I am here for the people, I am the servant of the nation.' What did he do? He signed papers that allowed white people to keep the mines and the farms," said 49-year-old Majozi Pilane, who runs a roadside stall selling sweets and cigarettes.
"He did absolutely nothing for all the poor people of this country."
- Ikhide
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---Mohandas Gandhi
There is enough in the world for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed.
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