Africa Is Falling Under Capitalism; There Is Alternative In Socialism

From the five major epochs in human history thus; communalism, slavery, feudalism, capitalism and communism, only the first and the last were said to be characterized by non- exploitation. Capitalism is an economic system where the means of production and exchange are in the hands of private individuals. It represents the highest level of development of private property and the exploitation of wage labour by capital.
Capitalism as an economic creed is, blended and reinforced by series of western political idea that are still strange to the Africa continent and her people. The central features of the capitalist economic system in its classical form include; the dynamics of the profit motive, existence of a free market, presence of competition and the recognition of freedom of the entrepreneur to innovate, the investor to seek higher returns and the worker to seek high wages. In Africa generally and Nigeria in particular, minimum wages for worker took protracted fight between organized labour unions and the state before a paltry eighteen thousand naira was agreed on as many states renegade on payment later.
The political principle that anchored capitalism includes the suppositions that the role of government should be limited to the maintenance of law and order, upholding the sanctity of contract, regulating currency, raising taxes and containing external aggressions. That economic power should be diffuse among many property owners, rather than concentrated in the hands of one owner, the state. That government should not engage in any effort to redistribute economic reward since the system ensures that wealth goes to those who serve the needs of the society best while poverty goes to those who contribute little.
Against the background of this devious principle is the collapse of the economy of the nations on the African continent. This continent did not experiment with its own economic model through internal socio-economic evolution that would have evolved a standard model indigenous to the people and it labour relations. The continent has been under the burden of slavery, colonialism, imperialism, globalization and now terrorism. Can the African youth today please heed the admonition of the legendary revolutionaries and save the continent and be sure of a better tomorrow.
The failure of the workers revolution according to V.I Lenin is a result of a new development in capitalism, (imperialism) acquisition of colonies for economic domination. It has provided advanced capitalist countries with ready markets, sources of cheap raw materials and labour. In addition, safe haven for investing surplus profits and thereby eased the contradictions of the system.
The conditions of the proletariats have been improved but only through the exploitation of capitalism will re assert them when available colonies inevitably are exhausted. He holds that the proletariats itself is incapable of executing the revolution given its conditions under capitalism. He contends that the revolution would have to be the handwork of a vanguard, a fully conscious minority that will be joined by the rest of the working class, peasants and the youths
From a liberal theoretical perspective, change is synonymous with modernization when the liberal perspective is broadly applied to the study of African politics in general and revolution in particular. It can be seen that, it is basically interested in the transformation of non- western societies along the same path or direction by western societies, it therefore saves capitalist revolution.
The success of capitalist revolution in Europe and North America cannot be said to be possible in the ex- colonial states in central and South America, Africa and Asia. The attempts at liberal capitalist revolution have failed miserably to transform these societies positively. Rather most of the states particularly Africa have remained captive to imperialism and a circle of internal crisis mixed by political instability, social crisis, underdevelopment, cronyism, corruption, authoritarianism and terrorism.
It is no more mere rhetoric when radical progressive and advocates of change from below condemned mass uprising, assassination, terrorism, but instead advocate mobilization of the people through a radical ideology. Revolution from the top or above which is just cosmetic modification does not in any way radically alter the prevalent power relations in a society, as it is just another reform.
What has been playing out in the Nigeria’s political space since the fourth republic is a replay of the military era. A violent change is often considered a possibility, in response to the tenacious hold on to power by any ruling party. This tactics of exclusion is always demonstrated through manipulation of the electoral process central to the voting exercise.
It is imperative basically, as the outcome of deep-seated discontent and frustration with the existing political, social and economic order in society. This is why revolution from below is justified, in the name of the oppressed and exploited who seek to break the chains of bondages and regain their freedom and dignity. Of course, the bourgeois party politics can never guarantee the lofty expectations of the wretches of the earth. It can only come to concrete reality through a concerted common front that can withstand the onslaughts of capitalism at its phase of globalization.
Comrade Ogbu Alexander Ameh writes from Akatekwe Kingdom in Ogbadibo. He can be reached via onwaters2011@gmail.com