Nyerere's Road to Socialism

Abstract

The phenomenon of the one-party state has been widespread in post colonial Africa in a variety of forms. Rationalisations for this system of government have varied from the rule of necessity' to the claim of unique cultural relevance.2 None of the exponents have been as articulate and convincing as President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, and, it will be asserted herein, none of the experiments to date have been as hopeful as the Tanzanian one. It is generally recognized that the major problem facing most new states after independence is that of translating the nationalist movement into an effective government; major organisational weaknesses and political instability are usual in the post independence period. They are characterized by a lack of a disciplined program of action and a set of practical principles through which effective organization can be created. What distinguished the great Communist states China and the Soviet Union in their drive for modernization was exactly that they had a concept of the party as an instrument for fundamental change and action and not just as a machinery for mustering votes and general support. And what distinguishes Tanzania amongst African states is that the ruling party the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU)3 has such an image of itself and is assiduously and systematically working towards its goals. The task facing TANU at independence in 1961 was far greater than that facing the Chinese or Soviets, for the people of Tanganyika did not comprise an integrated or mobilized community. TANU's problem was to build a nation in the face of considerable political, social, economic, and communications disadvantages. It would have been enough of a task to set out to build a modern nation-state as was the goal of most of the new states of the Afro-Asian world. Nyerere's purpose, however, was to create a new order, a truly socialist community, an African vision of what society ought to be. Nyerere's socialism has been articulated in several key statements in recent years the most important of which are Ujamaa: The Basis of African Socialism of 1962 and The Arusha Declaration of 1967.V From these it is clear that he