African Socialism

African Socialism is an economically left-wing and culturally variable ideology. It is a pan-Africanist and socialist ideology that believes in sharing economic resources based on traditional African methods of doing so. There have been multiple conceptions of African Socialism historically, with differing variants coming from many different theorists, leaders and revolutionaries. While African Socialists are typically Marxists, specifically Marxist-Leninists, this is not always the case. It heavily opposes capitalism, colonialism and imperialism.

"When we planned our country's economic development, we had the strategic objective of our Revolution in mind. It was not planned for economic development [to be] solely an end in itself. There are some who have forgotten that the sole basis of our revolutionary struggle was the ideology and politics which we follow..."

Mengistu Haile Mariam

History

African Socialism first came about in 1956 with the book "Les masses africaines et l'actuelle condition humaine". From 1983-1987, a form of African Socialism created by Sankara came to mainstream politics in Burkina Faso called Sankarism . Throughout its history, Marxism has played a major rule in the evolution of African Socialism. From 1952-1966, Nkrumaism/Nkrumahism became a popular form of African Socialism in Ghanian politics. Following the Angolan Civil War, Angola came under a Marxist-Leninist government. Angola later removed the Marxist-Leninist system, but continues to be 'Socialist' to this day.

Beliefs

African Socialists have a wide range of beliefs, In general, they believe in an anti-capitalist economic policy and resistance to colonial imperialism. Some see the concept of liberal class as a white foreign concept that goes against the concept of the tribe which has been enlarged to all of Africa through a common struggle against foreign exploitation.

Variants

France-Albert Renéism/Indian Ocean Socialism

Indian Ocean Socialism was the ideology of France-Albert René, the second president of the Seychelles from 1977 to 2004. Under his rule, the Seychelles built one of Africa's highest gross domestic products per capita.

Harambee

WIP

Mandelaism

Anti-Apartheid revolutionary and South Africa's first black leader, Nelson Mandela ideologically self-identified as a Socialist and ultimately believed in a classless society, having been influenced by Marxism. But when in power he supported the country's liberal democratic model, while still taking strong measures to combat poverty, encourage land reform, and expanding healthcare services. He expressed desires to move to a social-democratic economy but figured that it wasn't possible due to the circumstances at the time (the fall of the USSR and the ascendency of neoliberalism.)

Nkrumaism

Nkrumaism is the ideology of the Ghanian president and revolutionary Kwame Nkrumah. The goal of Nkrumaism is the expulsion of colonial powers from Africa, and the union of all African foreign colonies under one borderless African superstate. Kwame Nkrumah's Socialist ideology was influenced by Marx, Lenin, and Mao, and he invested into bringing foreign theorists to help develop his specific ideology. There was initial struggle to differentiate it from other forms of Marxist ideology, but eventually, The Kwame Nkrumah institute reached the conclusion that:

Nkrumaism is simply the ideology for the new Africa, independent and absolutely free from imperialism, organised on a continental scale, founded upon the conception of one and united Africa, drawing its strength from modern science and technology and from the traditional African belief that the free development of each is conditioned by the free development of all.

Nkrumaism served as the state ideology of Ghana during Kwame Nkrumah's reign. Although Nkrumah and his political scientists heavily invested in the theoretical framework of this ideology, his ultimate goals were never truly realized.

Sankarism

Coat of Arms of Sankarism (Click to enlarge)

Sankarism is an authleft ideology in Burkina Faso based on the ideas of Thomas Sankara, who was an anti-colonial, feminist and Marxist-Leninist revolutionary and president. Sankarism is left-wing, pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist. Thomas Sankara was sometimes dubbed the "Che Guevara of Africa" and stood in opposition to the cult of personality unlike other Marxist-Leninist ideologies.

Though Thomas Sankara himself was a communist and Marxist-Leninist, many Burkinabe people and organizations who follow  Social Democracy, Populism, or  Nationalism have also dubbed themselves "Sankarists".

Ubuntu

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Ujamaa

Ujamaa, which translates to family or cooperative family, was the ideology practiced in Tanzania by it's creator Julius Nyerere. It acts as a socialist economy in which key industries are nationalized and other components of the economy are united under a central democracy.

How to Draw

Flag of African Socialism

1. Draw a ball.
2. Fill it with red.
3. Draw a yellow sihouette of Africa.
4. Add a red star in the middle.
5. Add the eyes and you're done!

Color Name		HEX	RGB
	Red	#ED1C24	rgb(237, 28, 36)
	Yellow	#F0C600	rgb(240, 198, 0)

Personality

Afrsoc has trauma towards colonalism and tries to lead his nation forward. Like his father Pan-Africanism, he believes in African unity and will persuade his brothers into doing so. Because he believes Capitalism was the mindest of all colonialist empires by corporate slave holdings, he blames capitalism for Africa's poverty and troubles and believes any capitalist in the African continent is none more than a "traitor" and "western-backed neocolonial puppet".

Relationships

Wandugu (Comrades)

• Socialism - Only Socialism can save Africa now!
• Marxism - Precisely accurate theories of how the bourgeoisie exploit the third world to this day.
• Pan-Africanism - Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent!
• Castroism - A good comrade who's always there when we needed some help.
• Leninism - The goal of Socialism is Communism.
• Guevarism - Brothers in arms!
• Black Nationalism - We must take back Africa for the African people. My people will no longer be exploited!
• Gaddafism - Fellow African Anti-Colonial Socialist ,Together ,we shall drive the Imperialists out of Africa.
• Separatism - Kick the colonialists off our land!
• Indigenism - Another oppressed minority who had their land unjustly stolen by colonial powers and whose plight for taking back their stolen land is ignored by the majority of the privileged first-world people and activists.
• Maoism–Third Worldism - Cites me as a major inspiration, we both like Nkrumah a lot.
• Titoism - My friend from Yugoslavia.
• Revolutionary Nationalism - Liberating nationalism is incredibly based. Death to western imperialists!
• Arab Socialism - Long live Arabic-African unity!

Mwenye Mashaka (Doubtful)

• Nguema Thought - I'm flattered you like me so much but what the actual fuck is your problem? Also, while I support socialist nationalism, I don't want black Pol Potism.
• Brother Hao - Afro-Dengism? I also doubt whatever PRC really cares about Africa or is just another authcap imperialist with red paint.
• Afunism - Ok, I get it, You want to save Africa from the colonialists, but What's that whole story about Fascism, Anti-Feminism, Sterilization of religious people and death penalty for those who hang out with people who don't have the same race than us or disagree with you?
• Social Authoritarianism - I will never forgive what they did to Burkina Faso. But many of my variants Post-1990s did become you.
• Garveyism - You may be a pan-African and a black nationalist, but You're still a filthy... CAPITALIST... FASCIST... PIG!!
  • MY SYSTEM IS BASED ON LENIN'S NEP, YOU BAFFOON!

Wakandamizaji (Oppressors)

• Imperialism - You have done irreversible damage to the African continent. If hell existed, which of course it doesn't, I'd want you to burn.
• Neoconservatism - LAISSEZ NOTRE CONTINENT TRANQUILLE ET EMPORTEZ VOTRE STUPIDE FRANC CFA AVEC VOUS!
• Gaullism - ET VOUS AUSSI, GAULLE!
• Mobutism - Corrupt klepomaniac who killed Lumumba and drove the Congo 50 years back.
• Aminism - YOU'RE A LITERAL BLACK FASCIST!
• Capitalism - Capitalism is indistinguishable from colonialism and white supremacy!
• White Nationalism - Rest in piss Apartheid. You won't be missed.
• Reactionaryism - Africa will surpass tribalism, colonialism, and capitalism and advance into the 21st century.
• Liberalism - The ideology of the colonists.
• Salazarism - Get rekt'd by the MPLA, FRELIMO, PAIGC, and MLSTP!
• Leopold II Thought - GET THE FUCK OUT OF CONGO, YOU MONARCHIST SCUM!
  • YOU WERE EATING EACHOTHER AND FARMING EACHOTHER LIKE CHATTEL!

• Anarcho-Syndicalism - "Anarcho-Syndicalism?" "Down with them!"
• Hutu Power - Fascist scum causing African infighting.
• Nazism - I'M NOT YOU! YOU ARE A RACIST BASTARD!
• Thatcherism - Don't you lay your hands on Angola... ever AGAIN...
• State Oriental Orthodoxy - Bye bye Selassie.

Gallery

Portraits

• 
  Original portrait, by Chcknwngs

Alternative designs

• 
  Sankarism
• 
  Sankarism (alt)
• 
  Flag of Sankarism

Comics and Artwork

• 
  "5x5 Tankie Political Compass" by TheLegend2T, Source

Further Information

Texts

By Kwane Nkrumah

• Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage Of Imperialism

By Julius Nyerere

• Essays on Socialism
• Freedom and Development
• Freedom and Unity

Wikipedia

• African Socialism

Online Communities

• PanAfricanists