Opinion / Blogs
The Horizon and Beyond: The Future as I see it
03 Dec 2015 at 11:57hrs | Views
When ZPRA and ZANLA fought the National Liberation Struggle, they fought the war guided by the principles of Marxism-Leninism ideology, more accurately known as scientific socialism. Father Zimbabwe, Comrade Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo said in 1977:
"The war of liberation in Zimbabwe is based on principles of scientific socialism which alone can bring genuine freedom to all the peoples of the world."
So what happened?
It was obvious that to most of the leadership which found itself in a position of access to wealth that they had previously only dreamed of, abandoned the teachings of the scientific socialist ideology by the Soviets and the Chinese which they had adopted. Having stepped across the threshold into new found wealth and social cachet these politicians forgot the struggling masses with ease. Sadly, in a country where the majority of blacks live their entire lives in abject poverty and drudgery, many of the nouveau noir rich shamelessly flaunt their wealth. It isn't even as though newly rich blacks have been stellar philanthropists. Their contribution to social responsibility programmes is negligible, though they swell the ZANU party coffers.
As early as 1961, the great African writer Frantz Fanon in the Chapter of The Wretched of the Earth entitled The Pitfalls of National Consciousness wrote:
"...the native bourgeoisie which comes to power uses its class aggressiveness to corner the positions formerly kept for foreigners. On the morrow of independence, in fact, it violently attacks colonial personalities: barristers, traders, landed proprietors, doctors, and higher civil servants. It will fight to the bitter end against these people 'who insult our dignity as a nation.' It waves aloft the notion of the nationalisation and Africanisation of the ruling classes. The fact is that such action will become more and more tinged by racism, until the bourgeoisie bluntly puts the problem to the government by saying 'We must have these posts'
Neither financiers nor industrial magnates are to be found within this national middle class. The national bourgeoisie of underdeveloped countries is not engaged in production, nor in invention, nor building, nor labour; it is completely canalised into activities of the intermediary type. Its innermost vocation seems to be to keep in the running and to be part of the racket.
This economy has always developed outside the limits of their knowledge. They have nothing more than an approximate, bookish acquaintance with the actual and potential resources of their country's soil and mineral deposits; and therefore they can only speak of these resources on a general and abstract plane".
I have quoted at length from a renowned African writer, had I written the same using my own words, I would probably be labelled a "sell-out", a "Selous Scout", a "friend of the imperialists', by those in power. Those in the opposition benches would probable shout that I am a CIO or handled by one. The level of paranoia in our country is alarming.
Our own Ian Beddowes, General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Communist League, in the Introduction to his influential online book Philosophy and Class Struggle says:
Following the Unity Accord ...the task of nation building became a real possibility once again, but was destroyed within two years by the introduction of ESAP which now divided the nation on class lines, with the battle for control being between the old white racist national bourgeoisie, still steeped in the principles of Rhodesian nationhood, on the one hand; and the new, greedy, parasitic, black comprador bourgeoisie on the other, eager to enrich itself at any cost according to the global principles of monetarism and the famous Kingdom Securities slogan, "Making money makes sense."
As production in Zimbabwe decreased, the number of banks increased, and those banks were owned by 'our boys', who by their blackness were deemed to be working in the national interest; they therefore could not be controlled. For once Zimbabwe was five years ahead of the USA, home of monetarism; our banking system collapsed in 2003: theirs not until 2008!
Scientific socialism is concerned with moving towards socialism; that is the social ownership of the means of production based on the concrete realities of time and place. It is therefore a materialist philosophy. It is the belief in "Market Forces" as the producer of wealth which is both idealistic and demonstrably false. Since the counter-revolution in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the triumph of the neo-liberal agenda, the world has become a worse place to live for the majority of people. Only in those countries in eastern Asia and Latin America which have repudiated the neo-liberal agenda and adopted national planning and schemes for the reduction of poverty have living standards for the majority improved.
I am a ZAPU member; ideologically, ZAPU is a broad church, sheltering under its umbrella myriad political hues: liberals, Christian democrats, Social Democrats, socialists, African nationalists, Africanists and Communists. I believe, it is necessary at this juncture as we assembly for the 10th National Congress that we examine the challenge of modernisation of ZAPU as both a concept and its practical application. For a political party to succeed in any political landscape, it needs to get the formula right: charismatic and highly visible leaders, coherent policies that distinguish it from other contenders, and high levels of organisation at grassroots, provincial and national levels.
What is needed at this stage in our history is the introduction of National Planning linked to Devolution of Power in such a way that the plan is discussed right down to village and ward level and thus involves the whole people - including the diaspora. There must be plans for every District, town, City and Province linked to an over-arching National Plan. The plan must be both democratic and scientific and based on the priorities of production, not of making quick money - not on "deals".
Unfortunately, almost all political parties are asking for "Foreign Direct Investment" as the only solution to our problems. This means that 35 years after Independence, none of these parties has a clue of how to build the economy. They expect foreigners to do it for us! Surely most of these political leaders have reached ideological menopause and nothing new can be expected from them. It is time for young, visionaries who have an instinct for their nation
With a National Plan in place, we can determine the growth path. The growth path depends in part on attracting foreign direct investment, but also requires a higher domestic saving effort. Greater industrial competitiveness, a tighter fiscal stance, moderation of wages, accelerated public investment, efficient service delivery and a major expansion of private investment are integral aspects of the recovery strategy. We need to start debates on re-introduction of our local currency in line with an exchange rate policy consistent with improved international competitiveness, responsible monetary policies and targeted industrial incentives. A strong export performance underpins the macro sustainability of our recovery. Yes, exports. What happened to Marange diamonds should not be repeated. Above all there must be a commitment from the Government to fight corruption for a National Plan to be effective.
Finally, we have to create conditions in which our skilled artisans and technicians and experienced management which has been effectively been expelled from the country by the parasitic black bourgeoisie can return home. Workers must be paid regularly and on time. Our parasites do not even understand the first basic of capitalism (which they practise) - that if you wish to keep exploiting the labour power of the workers then you must keep paying them!
Our job is to build an economy which will benefit all Zimbabweans. It must be an economy based on production and national planning linked to Devolution of Power. A National Democratic Economy and a better Future for All.
Revolution is a relay; Now it is our time.
Future Msebele is the ZAPU National Secretary for Policy and Strategy, and a Cadre Member of Zimbabwe Communists League. He writes in his personal capacity.
"The war of liberation in Zimbabwe is based on principles of scientific socialism which alone can bring genuine freedom to all the peoples of the world."
So what happened?
It was obvious that to most of the leadership which found itself in a position of access to wealth that they had previously only dreamed of, abandoned the teachings of the scientific socialist ideology by the Soviets and the Chinese which they had adopted. Having stepped across the threshold into new found wealth and social cachet these politicians forgot the struggling masses with ease. Sadly, in a country where the majority of blacks live their entire lives in abject poverty and drudgery, many of the nouveau noir rich shamelessly flaunt their wealth. It isn't even as though newly rich blacks have been stellar philanthropists. Their contribution to social responsibility programmes is negligible, though they swell the ZANU party coffers.
As early as 1961, the great African writer Frantz Fanon in the Chapter of The Wretched of the Earth entitled The Pitfalls of National Consciousness wrote:
"...the native bourgeoisie which comes to power uses its class aggressiveness to corner the positions formerly kept for foreigners. On the morrow of independence, in fact, it violently attacks colonial personalities: barristers, traders, landed proprietors, doctors, and higher civil servants. It will fight to the bitter end against these people 'who insult our dignity as a nation.' It waves aloft the notion of the nationalisation and Africanisation of the ruling classes. The fact is that such action will become more and more tinged by racism, until the bourgeoisie bluntly puts the problem to the government by saying 'We must have these posts'
Neither financiers nor industrial magnates are to be found within this national middle class. The national bourgeoisie of underdeveloped countries is not engaged in production, nor in invention, nor building, nor labour; it is completely canalised into activities of the intermediary type. Its innermost vocation seems to be to keep in the running and to be part of the racket.
This economy has always developed outside the limits of their knowledge. They have nothing more than an approximate, bookish acquaintance with the actual and potential resources of their country's soil and mineral deposits; and therefore they can only speak of these resources on a general and abstract plane".
I have quoted at length from a renowned African writer, had I written the same using my own words, I would probably be labelled a "sell-out", a "Selous Scout", a "friend of the imperialists', by those in power. Those in the opposition benches would probable shout that I am a CIO or handled by one. The level of paranoia in our country is alarming.
Our own Ian Beddowes, General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Communist League, in the Introduction to his influential online book Philosophy and Class Struggle says:
Following the Unity Accord ...the task of nation building became a real possibility once again, but was destroyed within two years by the introduction of ESAP which now divided the nation on class lines, with the battle for control being between the old white racist national bourgeoisie, still steeped in the principles of Rhodesian nationhood, on the one hand; and the new, greedy, parasitic, black comprador bourgeoisie on the other, eager to enrich itself at any cost according to the global principles of monetarism and the famous Kingdom Securities slogan, "Making money makes sense."
Scientific socialism is concerned with moving towards socialism; that is the social ownership of the means of production based on the concrete realities of time and place. It is therefore a materialist philosophy. It is the belief in "Market Forces" as the producer of wealth which is both idealistic and demonstrably false. Since the counter-revolution in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the triumph of the neo-liberal agenda, the world has become a worse place to live for the majority of people. Only in those countries in eastern Asia and Latin America which have repudiated the neo-liberal agenda and adopted national planning and schemes for the reduction of poverty have living standards for the majority improved.
I am a ZAPU member; ideologically, ZAPU is a broad church, sheltering under its umbrella myriad political hues: liberals, Christian democrats, Social Democrats, socialists, African nationalists, Africanists and Communists. I believe, it is necessary at this juncture as we assembly for the 10th National Congress that we examine the challenge of modernisation of ZAPU as both a concept and its practical application. For a political party to succeed in any political landscape, it needs to get the formula right: charismatic and highly visible leaders, coherent policies that distinguish it from other contenders, and high levels of organisation at grassroots, provincial and national levels.
What is needed at this stage in our history is the introduction of National Planning linked to Devolution of Power in such a way that the plan is discussed right down to village and ward level and thus involves the whole people - including the diaspora. There must be plans for every District, town, City and Province linked to an over-arching National Plan. The plan must be both democratic and scientific and based on the priorities of production, not of making quick money - not on "deals".
Unfortunately, almost all political parties are asking for "Foreign Direct Investment" as the only solution to our problems. This means that 35 years after Independence, none of these parties has a clue of how to build the economy. They expect foreigners to do it for us! Surely most of these political leaders have reached ideological menopause and nothing new can be expected from them. It is time for young, visionaries who have an instinct for their nation
With a National Plan in place, we can determine the growth path. The growth path depends in part on attracting foreign direct investment, but also requires a higher domestic saving effort. Greater industrial competitiveness, a tighter fiscal stance, moderation of wages, accelerated public investment, efficient service delivery and a major expansion of private investment are integral aspects of the recovery strategy. We need to start debates on re-introduction of our local currency in line with an exchange rate policy consistent with improved international competitiveness, responsible monetary policies and targeted industrial incentives. A strong export performance underpins the macro sustainability of our recovery. Yes, exports. What happened to Marange diamonds should not be repeated. Above all there must be a commitment from the Government to fight corruption for a National Plan to be effective.
Finally, we have to create conditions in which our skilled artisans and technicians and experienced management which has been effectively been expelled from the country by the parasitic black bourgeoisie can return home. Workers must be paid regularly and on time. Our parasites do not even understand the first basic of capitalism (which they practise) - that if you wish to keep exploiting the labour power of the workers then you must keep paying them!
Our job is to build an economy which will benefit all Zimbabweans. It must be an economy based on production and national planning linked to Devolution of Power. A National Democratic Economy and a better Future for All.
Revolution is a relay; Now it is our time.
Future Msebele is the ZAPU National Secretary for Policy and Strategy, and a Cadre Member of Zimbabwe Communists League. He writes in his personal capacity.
Source - Future Msebele
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