Tanzanian Ujamaa and Scientific Socialism by Walter Rodney

Julius Nyerere was the first president of Tanzania (and its predecessor state, Tanganyika) and founding member of TANU, the Tanganyika African National Union party. Nyerere, in addition to being one of Africa's most prominent decolonial voices and early post-colonial leaders, is best remembered for his political philosophy, "Ujamaa," Swahili  for "Familyhood." Ujamaa was Nyerere's vision of a  social and economic system based on the conscious revindication of traditional African social values, which he considered inherently socialist.

In this text, the Guyanese Marxist and Pan-Africanist Walter Rodney (who spent significant time in Tanzania) explores the scientific elements of Ujamaa and reflects on its viability as a means of building socialism within the unique historical, cultural, and material conditions of the African continent. Drawing on Marx and Engels' writings on utopian socialism and revolution outside the capitalist core, this text provides an interesting lens for understanding and contextualizing Ujamaa and Nyerere's thinking more broadly. 

You can find a free text version of this piece here:
Rodney - Ujamaa and Scientific Socialism (marxists.org)

I collect no fees or advertising money by sharing readings of important texts. If you would like to help cover the costs of equipment, hosting fees, and materials to allow me to continue sharing revolutionary, anti-imperialist, and anti-colonial writings, you can become a Patron at:
https://www.patreon.com/natu_reads?fan_landing=true