Towards Emancipation

Doubtlessly interesting is the manner in which life, nature and matter are always in a state of change. Everything is in a state of motion, and nothing is static or immobile. Society, being part of nature, follows this trend. Modes of production and ways of life have been constantly undergoing change ever since the human race came into being. Society in today's world exists under capitalism; predominantly the mode of production. Nearly the whole world has been subjugated to the power of capital, with its ever increasing appetite looking to devour more and more. A legal and political superstructure has arisen out of this, and all state institutions are merely tools for the advancement of capitalism, even in the most democratic republics. But the contradictions within capitalism are immense. In its quest to maximize profits by whatever means possible, capitalism has led to the concentration of the world's wealth in a few private hands, alienated from the very masses who partici...

You know something is wrong with your society when you cannot tolerate people from other societies. But when this intolerance becomes violent, you know something is seriously wrong. The xenophobic attacks in South Africa are as disturbing as they are surprising. Disturbing in that one cannot imagine the violence and atrocities that may be directed towards foreigners in the country, and surprising in that one cannot imagine an African relating to a fellow African with hostility and suspicion. But perhaps it is important to examine the root cause of this xenophobic violence. With this regard emphasis should be laid not on the direct triggers of the violence, but on the general composition of the society of South Africa. South Africa remains one of the most scarred African countries in relation to colonial exploitation. The settling of the Boers, as early as the seventeenth century, was itself a critical problem. Native populations were displaced, and many have never recovered their land...

It cannot be denied that the 21st century has seen the entrance of newer players into the global superleague. Countries which were hitherto semi industrialized or semi peripheral as concerns the international economic system have been transformed into economic powerhouses almost overnight. Countries in the Far East, such as Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea make up this list. Of particular interest, however is the People's Republic of China. In Imperialism , Lenin observes that weak and underdeveloped economies can become developed and industrialized - to the point of challenging the 'traditional' developed economies - at a very fast pace, as in the case of Germany in the second half of the 19th century. Throughout the 20th century, China's economy was nowhere near those of the powerful Western countries. The situation is completely different now. China has made strides in industry and agriculture, and its economy is only second to that of the United States. In fact...

Decade after decade has seen prominent Pan Africanists come and go, preaching and spreading the same message; Black Consciousness, economic and political emancipation and anti imperialism. Credit to them. It is through their hard work that many of us became aware of the origin and nature of the exploitation that we have had to endure over the centuries. However, words become meaningless when they are not accompanied by action. Future generations will be not so kind to us if we fail to take in the consciousness of our situation, perceive the contradictions in the international economic system, make a tactful and intricate revolutionary plan and, within the shortest time possible, seize political authority and take charge of our destiny. But first, what is to be done? An observation into all previous revolutions, most preferably the Bolshevik revolution, reveals that foremost a theory, or a sort of ideology, has to be developed. For the struggle, as Friedrick Engels observed, would be o...

It would seem as though conflict occupies a key aspect of our lives nowadays, and one would be forgiven for thinking that without it the world would be abnormal. Year after year world media outlets are always preoccupied, covering civil wars, terror attacks, rebel uprisings and international aggression. That notwithstanding, it is important for people to shift their focus from the shallow and top surface progress of such events towards the deep intrigues of the same. Emphasis has to be put on the causes of these conflicts, their masterminds unmasked, the political power games exposed and the ultimate economic interests arrested. Of particular interest has been the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Foremost, it must be clear that conflict in all its forms, including armed aggression, is detestable and contradictory to basic human principles. However, a careful analysis of the situation in Ukraine produces very disturbing questions. Why is there armed conflict in the first place? Who are th...

Poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance, lack of skilled manpower, poor transport and communication networks, unemployment, brain drain... There is certainly no end to the list of the many problems facing Africa today. All African states, needless to say, are struggling with one issue after another, trying to at least survive in the periphery of the global economic system, where they have been thrust. In fact one would be forgiven to wonder how Africans, and other people of the South, have been living under these conditions in direct contradiction to the vastness of their economic potential. But why, and how, did it occur that one section of the world would live under such adverse conditions whereas other people, in another region, would enjoy the highest standards of living? A very simple question. Yet the responses it exhibits, particularly among Africans, reveals the level of consciousness amongst us. Majority of Africans, with the influence of international media and propaganda as wel...

Freedom! Peace! Dignity! Prosperity! Slogans are endless to express what every human being in every society desires. People everywhere are always seeking to better their lives in all ways, with all the effort this requires and all the consequences this implies. Yet not everyone in the world can be said to be satisfied with the present state of their conditions. In fact, most human beings are not. Dissatisfaction is an understatement to describe their feeling. It is clear that frustration reigns in the minds of the billions of people living in the South, the so called 'underdeveloped' world, where living standards fall way below the developed countries of the North. Disparity in wealth and living standards is often not a cause of inquiry or resentment. However, when this disparity is caused by the deliberate action of one society to exploit another, it becomes a cause of serious conflict. Questions must be asked on the manner in which the imperialist nations made tremendous pr...