A Critical Analysis of Nyeyere's African Socialism (original) (raw)
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Nyerere’s Socialism and African Politics in Relation to Development
Journal of Advanced Sociology
This paper discusses the Ujamaa philosophy and what it advocated as fostered by Julius Nyerere. The work relates the Ujamaa philosophy with socialism and how the combination of the two can be applied in advancing the African political leadership. The paper further exemplifies on the hindrances of application of Ujamaa and suggests ways through which the philosophy can be advanced.
There is no doubt that African socialism was highly treasured wherever you see Africans before the advent of colonialism and globalization. This was the era in African society that cultural values and practices fundamentally made selfishness, individualism, capitalism, oppression, and injustice unthinkable. The unadulterated African socialism placed a high premium on the recognition of every human being in the society as a person with inviolable dignity that must be respected and protected from any form of injustice and abuse. This concept of African socialism is both ontologically and morally connected to human dignity. Hence, African socialism makes human dignity to be properly defined, justified, promoted, and preserved from any socio-political manipulation. Julius Nyerere was a contemporary of African socio-political thinkers like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Obafemi Awolowo of Nigeria, and Leopold Senghor of Senegal that tried to establish a structure on which African socialism can function effectively in Africa. Nyerere's Ujaama became the cynosure of eyes for many Africans that long for African form of socialism. Today, the contemporary socio-political realities in Africa make his extraction of African socialism utopic because of the inherent challenges in the socio-political system. Therefore, there is a need for a restructuring of the fundamental principles of Ujaama for it to be more feasible in the African society of our time.
Nyerere’s African Socialism: Up Against a Conflicting Hegemony
Academia Letters, 2021
Julius Nyerere's seminal text, Ujamaa-essays on socialism (1968), is an impassioned work which urges a more profound understanding of Africans' collective history. Ujamaa was written as a nostalgic call for an Africa before the arrival of Europeans and their perceived morally bankrupt ways. Nyerere argued that 'traditional' Africans were in a way proto-socialists, that is, putting the socialist philosophy into practice unconsciously, without the awareness of its political implications. In turn, the Europeans' introduced mercantilism, which out-performed the traditional barter economy and eventually became the global hegemonic system of capitalism. As Nyerere's argument would suggest, increased interactions with European traders through African intermediaries ended up disrupting and permanently changing the traditional subsistence economy which was common practice on the continent for hundreds of years. The aim of this work will be to examine the merits and flaws of Nyerere's main argument of Ujamaa. This will be done through several means, most importantly through historical analysis, which will be employed to assess the accuracy of the picture that Nyerere paints of the traditional African past. Introducing historical data to analyze the theory will help us see what holds true from his perspective and what needs work, especially through the economic and political case studies. Furthermore, it will be crucial to critically examine the notions of 'development' in the context of the African continent and where Africa fits in the global socioeconomic order in the contemporary age of International Relations.
Julius Nyerere’s Understanding of African Socialism, Human Rights and Equality
2020
Julius Kambarage Nyerere, African philosopher, anti-colonial leader, first president of the United Republic of Tanzania, and respected international statesman, served as president of the newly independent Tanzania from 1964 through 1985., after which he remained politically active in Tanzania and on the global stage. Trying to steer a post-colonial course of self-reliance, he developed and implemented African Socialism in Tanzania, articulated in the Arusha Declaration in 1967. As an anti-colonial leader, Nyerere referred to international human rights standards such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and maintained a commitment to human rights as president and afterwards. In this essay we look at Nyerere’s program of African Socialism, and his understanding of the interrelated concepts of socialism, human rights, and equality. We close with a discussion of Nyerere’s controversial human rights violations as president, and a reflection on his legacy. Introduction Julius Kam...
IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2014
Many African countries gained independence during the 1960s, and some of these newly formed governments rejected the ideas ofcapitalism in favour of a more Afrocentric economic model. Advocates of African socialism claimed that it was not the opposite of capitalism, nor a response to it, but something completely different. Therefore, this paper examines the context that gave birth to the concept African socialism, explicate the meaning of the concept; briefly highlight what African socialism means to some of its proponent. Also it shall elucidate some issues that have emerged in African socialism, the implication of the emergent issues for the contemporary society shall be considered, then follows a critical evaluation and conclusion.
Visionary leadership in Africa: the example of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania 1922 to 1999
HUMANUS DISCOURSE, 2021
This article recaptures the philosophy of Nyerere and the idea of Ujamaa (familyhood) in modern African socialism. Nyerere’s political idea for Tanzania centred on the creation of an egalitarian socialist society based on cooperative agriculture, racial and tribal harmony, as well as moralistic self-sacrifice. The study argues that contemporary challenges in Africa caused by colonialism, misrule, and corruption have called for backwards- looking and integration to prevent political and economic chaos on the continent. Presently, the Corona Virus-19 Pandemic (COVID-19) like its twin disease, the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, had triggered unemployment, food shortages, inflation, price instability, the balance of payment disequilibrium, and social vices. Drawing on primary and secondary sources to substantiate its claim, this study found that the present state of affairs in the world has introduced the new normal and new methods of doing things; hence the need for indigenous solutions to Africa’s problems. This article recommends that African leaders need re-invent indigenous political philosophy such as the Nyerere’s African socialism to save its citizens from poverty rather than the present dependency on colonial masters and donor countries.
Why Julius Nyerere's Ujamaa needs a realignment to reinforce its dynamism for African socialism
African form of socialism was highly respected wherever you see Africans before the world turned into a village through advanced technology and globalization. This was an African society where cultural values made selfishness, individualism, oppression and injustice unthinkable. African socialism was appreciated so much because of its affinity with the genuine concern for the well-being of everyone in the society. In spite of the dynamism of African socialism, some of the effects of colonialism and globalization have bastardized its prized values. Julius Nyerere was one of the prominent outspoken scholars that tried to form a structure on which African socialism can stand and functional everywhere in Africa. The socio-political realities in Africa of today makes his version of African socialism less desirable and utopic.