Ma-Afrika My response to Jabu comes belatedly. He should be engaged on the way he simplistically raises his points and the manner of his argument which moves from the premise that issues of ideology and the way it is understood are givens and neither need not be scrutinised nor be subjected to scientific analysis. That tendency as has been most in vogue in this organisation (PAC) has so often led to a shameful inability in articulating our ideological line more proficiently as the living body of thought. There have been instances like our participation in the multiparty talks, the parliamentary path to power, the claim that we are a socialist party, etc. which due to what I have just pinpointed became merely matters peculiarly individualistic depending on the one responding to it at any given point in time. Party ideological articulations were as the result relegated to insignificance. Properly understood, ideological articulation is an act of theorisation about objective social phenomena and collective activities of social forces (groups and classes in society) on a political plain. It is only that theory is a guide to social action and because we as the party deal with social life (living phenomena), the change and goals that we struggle to attain can only be realised if we grasp the inner laws and essence of the social phenomena we seek to transform.Only with the use of our ideology (political theory) can we all have a uniform, standard and systemmatic grasp of the nature of this social reality, its inherent condition and tendencies (quality, identity, contradictions and antagonisms), the need/ necessity to act upon it politically, and the kind of social methods corresponding to the objective laws for it to be transformed (political programme, strategies and tactics) which is the highest stage in the process of theorisation for it talks to us about the balance of social forces and how our political agitation among the masses and character of the party should be. The strategic importance of the political theory (ideology) cannot be overstated as it provides our members with a coherent outlook and common orientation when confronted with issues of the day and inner party challenges and contradictions. We should also caution Jabu about making ahistoric sweeping generalisations about the party ideology. He should first show with facts how the party became the product of the Manchester 1945 Pan Africanist conference for history has it that those who formed the party in 1959 felt that African nationalism which informed the 1949 programme of action of the ANC Youth League was abandoned by the ANC and substituted with multiracialism. The manifesto has it that African nationalism is an antithesis to white domination (thesis) and Africanism (the synthesis). The PAC manifesto only asserts that Africanism is Pan Africanist in scope, purpose and direction. Read how the PAC under Sobukwe conceives the idea of the nation, that it stretches from Cape to Cairo and Madagascar to Morocco. Africanism in this sense is continentalism and is quite different from notions of Pan Africanism as espoused by founders of Pan Africanism who were more globalist in their conception. Clearly, there has been a ideological metamorphoses taking place within the party from the time of Sobukwe to today. Hence the majority among party founders are strongly nationalist in orientation compared to those of us who joined the party in mid-eighties and nineties. While they parted ways with the ANC, it is interesting to note that most Africanists were still grounded in ANC (Youth League) ideology and politics before the adoption of the Kliptown Charter. Now wonder that some sections within the party are convinced, though erroneously that Thabo Mbeki and those embracing the African Renaissance are "Pan Africanists." The reason is simple, Pan Africanism was deceptively equated with African nationalism, period. How all these ideological dynamics came into play, which forces and factors came to shape these and at what historical stages, and how the party unity, coherence, political direction and effectiveness as the dominant political force were impinged by these needs to be interrogated thoroughly. These are not givens at all. Let's rather face to these challenges and admit our weaknesses if we are honest enough in our quest to rebuild the party into a dynamic social force in the country, in Africa and globally. Izwe Lethu!! Mawand Jack
________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jabu Makhanya Sent: 01 July 2009 03:39 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [PAYCO] ideology Izwe Lethu I would like to agree with Kwame on the issue of ideological debate since this causes confusion to others. I agree that the confusion is caused by little understanding on the subject that's why it is important to understand what an ideology is before joining any political party. The PAC is the product of Pan Africanism ideology which was adopted by African revolutionaries or scholars in the fifth Pan Africanist conference held in Manchester in 1945. African philosophers agreed on Pan Africanism as the only tool to liberate Africa from colonialism. Pan Africanism also outlines the economic policy which any Africanist country should adopt and that is socialism. You cannot therefore seperate the PAC from Pan Africanism or scientific- socialism. I want to stress that the PAC has only one ideology and it is PAN AFRICANISM. Therefore those who say there are ideological differences within the PAC, are mistaken and are subject to correction. There are two- school of thoughts in the world, that is Pan Africanism which upholds socialism and capitalism. You can only belong to one of these, capitalism or Pan Africanism. The debate on the issue of ideological difference in the PAC is therefore irrelevant. Alternatively, what can be done is to emphasize the question of workshops to those who joined the PAC without fully understanding Pan Africanism. Jabu 073 286 7721 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Groups "Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.geocities.com/paycoonline //panafricanist.blogspot.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
