Is the South African Communist Party still on the track of Marxism?

On the African continent there are some communist parties as old as those in Europe and East Asia. The South African Communist Party (SACP) is one of them. Formally the SACP still upholds Marxism-Leninism to this day1. So are they reliable comrades of us? Before answering that question in final, the better question is: What is their understanding of what Marxism-Leninism is? There the answer is quickly found: The falsified, social-democratized understanding of the Khrushchev type. Nobody else than Joe

Remarks on the UPC´s “Aims & Objectives”

The UPC has ten points on its website titled “Aims & Objectives”1. This can be seen as a sort of short program. These points are too less to be called a “program of socialism”. From our perspective the question is if these points are suitable to rally the people for the transitional phase from capitalism to socialism. The Bible says: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”2 So then, let’s check these ten points up. To build the Republic

How a Communist has to be

All of us want to have the honorary title communist. But how do we live up to that title without devaluing the term? Mao Zedong set some clear quality demands. First of all, a communist has to be a role model towards the masses. Mao said: “Communists in the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies should set an example in fighting bravely, carrying out orders, observing discipline, doing political work and fostering internal unity and solidarity.”1 Without the role model

FRICTIONS IN OPPOSITION PARTIES IN UGANDA AND HOW THEY CAN BE ELIMINATED

Political parties are formed for the purposes of achieving a common good or a common objective. And the strength of the political party is derived from its ideology, history and propaganda as well on the strong and united internal leadership structure which leads to a large mass base if the are well designed. And it is believed that political parties may split due to some internal and external factors but within the structures of the party, it could

Was the Obote II Government not following the socialist path anymore?

In September 2006 Patrick Rubaihayo made the following claim, which is reproduced on the UPC´s party website: “When the parties were allowed to function again after the fall of Idi Amin in 1980, UPC shifted its ideological position from socialism to a free market economy.”1 When this would be true, Obote´s second government would not have pursued the path of socialism anymore. But is it the truth? For that let us look at the 1980 UPC Manifesto. The UPC Manifesto

Set course towards Uhuru! – Message on the 62nd Independence Day anniversary

Happy Independence Day to you all country men and women, especially common citizens (peasants and workers): It is of great importance to assert that as a nation, we have reached at least a step a head compared to the past decades and regimes which were characterised by tyrant and military oppression as well political and constitutional instabilities. I thank God for at least a small mile stone that we have achieved so far with in a period of 62 years.

Mao Zedong on Africa – His remarks in context

Mao Zedong as a Chinese Marxist-Leninist and communist revolutionary also cared a lot about the situation in other countries. Especially Asia, Africa and South America were his focus. Therefore he also met many African guests. So, what were Mao’s views on Africa and how can we learn from them? In 1961 Mao said towards a delegation of foreign guests from Guinea, Jordan, South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, Uganda and Kenya: “Africa is the forefront of struggle.”1 Mao had in view that

The Workers Party of Ethiopia – An example of how to not build a Marxist vanguard party

When building a Marxist vanguard party of the working people you need ideological commitment, rooting among the workers and peasants mainly, collective leadership and a proportional social composition (by class, gender and ethnic composition) to be representative. There is an example in history, how to not achieve this goal: The Workers Party of Ethiopia (WPE). Lack of urgency in building the party The Derg, the military government of Ethiopia, ruled the country since 1974. Despite the socialist claim of the

The Marxist impact in the Common Man’s Charter

Up until today Milton Obote´s Common Man’s Charter is seen as one of the most important documents, if not the most important document, of socialism in Uganda. The background influences leading to this document are disputed. Yoga Adhola tries to set Obote in one line with European social-democracy for example1. But the Common Man’s Charter´s content goes far beyond European social-democracy. In the following I will describe the Marxist impact that the Common Man’s Charter had – if directly or

How to make a Socialist Constitution

It would be too much to say that drafting a socialist constitution is an art. Still, there are certain basic elements that need to be included to make the constitution a functional socialist one. Is it enough to simply write the socialist claim into the constitution? In the world there are several constitutions of obviously capitalist countries, which have a socialist claim. The Constitution of Portugal mentions a socialist claim in its Preamble; Article 3 of the Constitution of Tanzania

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