Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T15:03:46.242Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

7 - Socialisms

from Part III - Alternatives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2020

Franklin Obeng-Odoom
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Get access

Summary

Socialism is one alternative for Africa. Although pronounced dead at the end of the twentieth century when its struggle with capitalism was formally ended with the former being forced to surrender to the later, the persistent and worsening maladies of capitalism as a system must lead to further discussion of socialisms. Founded on the basis that nothing substantially good can come from capitalism, a system based on exploitation, wage theft, burn out, plunder, and ecological crises on a world scale, socialism promises a link between a more social world and the good society. Two of its defining features are the redistribution of land and the nationalization of industry. Does this cluster of options constitute a firmer and more reliable path to inclusive African development? Using examples such as the land reform in Zimbabwe, the chapter argues that, although the Marxist critique of capitalism has been relentless and long-standing (especially its rejection of capitalism and imperialism), and in many cases quite successful, its analytical reach can be extended and its policy and political alternatives can be reoriented.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Socialisms
  • Franklin Obeng-Odoom, University of Helsinki
  • Book: Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa
  • Online publication: 27 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108590372.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Socialisms
  • Franklin Obeng-Odoom, University of Helsinki
  • Book: Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa
  • Online publication: 27 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108590372.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Socialisms
  • Franklin Obeng-Odoom, University of Helsinki
  • Book: Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa
  • Online publication: 27 March 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108590372.009
Available formats
×