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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, Number 25. 25th September 1974

Ujamaa — A fresh perspective on the sharing of wealth

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Ujamaa

A fresh perspective on the sharing of wealth

Photo of President Nyerere

Ujamaa: Essays by President Nyerere of Tanzania. Published by Oxford University Press, Dar Es Salaam, 1973. Distributed by Corso. Price — $2. Reviewed by Brendan Smith.

When President Nyerere visted New Zealand just a few months ago many realised that here was a man with a fresh perspective. Nyerere was seen as having definite principles, a personally developed political and social philosophy. But for those who were attracted by what Nyerere said in New Zealand the application of his ideas in the conditions of Tanzania was left vague, 'Ujamaa' a collection of major statements made by Nyerere over the last ten years successfully provides the necessary clarification.

The essays examine the manner in which the people of Tanzania can best contribute to the national welfare. The main thrust throughout is that this welfare of all, in the context of national development, can best be achieved by socialism. By socialism, however, Nyerere does not mean the rigid adherence to a standard political pattern. Rather, he means the commitment to a particular attitude of mind, that of service of one's fellow beings.

It is this attitude of cooperation which is so very important. Such an attitude distinguishes the socialist from the non-socialist. Destitute people can still be potential capitalists — described by Nyerere as exploiters of their fellow human beings. A millionaire, though it's unlikely, can equally well be a socialist, he may value his wealth only because it can be used in the service of others.

However, I suppose, through having an attitude of mind which above all values cooperation, certain new structures in society will emerge. The society will then be seen to be socialist rather than capitalist. The difference, will not be signified by the methods of producing wealth, but by the way the wealth is distributed.

Traditionally, African society effectively prevented parasitism where wealth was accumulated for the use of a few individuals. African society saw to it that wealth was shared, that all had security. The society as a whole look after a person's needs in times of difficulty so there was no need to accumulate wealth as a personal safeguard. Natural catastrophe brought famine, but it brought famine to everybody. Nobody starved, cither of food or of human [unclear: Nignity], because he lacked personal wealth; he could depend on the wealth possessed by the society of which he was a member. That was traditional socialism. That is the socialism that Tanzania is attempting to revive. It is an attempt to be more just in the distribution of wealth than were the capitalist practices implanted by the colonialists.

Defenders of capitalism, Nyerere suggests, will claim that the rich man's wealth is the just reward for his ability or enterprise. But this claim is not borne out by the facts. The wealth of the rich man depends as little on his enterprise or abilities as the power of a feudal king depended on his own efforts. The power of the feudal monarch arose from his position in that society. The wealth of

"Nyerere is Reviving the Traditional form of African Socialism"

the rich man almost invariably grows through his use of che opportunities that open up because of his position in society and the conditions provided by that society.

Even with an exceptionally intelligent and hard working rich man, Nyerere argues, the difference between his enterprise and hard work and that of other members of society, cannot possibly be proportionate to the difference between their 'rewards'. There must be something wrong in a society where one man, however hardworking he maybe, can acquire as great a 'reward' as a hundred of his fellows can acquire between them.

To counter the parasitic acquisitiveness for personal power and prestige, Tanzania is renewing itself according to the social forms and attitudes that are part of its heritage. Where the African social system had everyone work hard to contribute a fair share to the production of the society's wealth, so, once again, prosperity and hardship are to be shared, with wealth accumulated and held by the community.

Nyerere is reviving the traditional form of African socialism. Its foundation is the extended family. 'Ujamaa' or 'familyhood', described Tanzanian socialism. It is a concept of universal brotherhood — all others are members of a person's ever extending family. Within this family there is complete sharing and cooperation.

In this way African socialism breaks from capitalism — which seeks to build a happy society by each person profiting by what he/she gets out of another person; and breaks also from doctrinaire socialism which seeks to build its happy society on a philosophy of inevitable class conflict.

This emphasis on sharing, on cooperation , on a more equitable distribution of society's wealth, provides New Zealand with a vision difficult, perhaps dangerous page break to ignore. Maoris will find African socialism close to their own traditional socialism just as progressive thinkers in the Pacific have seen this socialism as closely related to theirs.

Photo of people digging and hoeing ground

The second essay, the Arusha Declaration, produced in 1967, develops the features necessary for a nation devoted to solidarity and cooperation.

First and foremost for a nation's welfare is the absence of exploitation. Society cannot be divided up into classes; all are to work for the benefit of others. Every worker gets a just return for the labour he performs; the incomes derived from different types of work are not grossly divergent.

To prevent exploitation the major means of production and exchange are controlled and owned by the community.

Concomitant with these features is that of the people having more say in affairs, a greater participation in every facet of national endeavour, starting from village level.

Self-reliance is at the head of Nyerere's policies for the development of new Tanzania. He calls on the people not to rely on gifts and loans from overseas for development. He says:

"How can we depend upon foreign governments and companies for the major part of our development without giving to those governments and countries a great part of our freedom to act as we please?"

A plea is therefore sounded not to choose money as the main instrument of development. The use of Tanzania's own resources can be substituted with great success. The conditions for developments, says Nyerere, are hard work, the use of one's intelligence; the nation's greatest resources being land and the abilities of the people. Nyerere recognises that Tanzania's future lies with "agriculture and, with courage, proceeds from that basis in formulating a development plan. Thus the Tanzania model applies closely to the Pacific Islands as to the manner of development.

Tanzania also provides a model for New Zealand. As in Tanzania, if New Zealanders had greater control over the systems of production, if greater participation in industry were possible, people generally would have more opportunities to ensure that industry served the people not that people served industry. Also the whole nation could benefit from industry, not just the present few.

Likewise, with a greater degree of self-reliance, with more faith in our own abilities, we could prevent foreign interests, in alliance with NZ industralists, consuming and profiting by the nation's resources. Such groups excuse this rape by saying that by their activities they raise the material standard of living or monetary incomes of the people — which they equate with public welfare. But they disregard the social costs borne by this nation because of their exploitative activities.

Improved education, re-education and social change, the growth of new structures and the demise of old, the renunciation of personal comfort, the facing up to major challenges, Nyerere states, are all required on the building of a society in which all people can treat others on terms of complete equality and in a spirit of free cooperation.

Ujamaa socialism will not be arrived at until the village-level community is practised

"Tanzania also Provides a Model for New Zealand"

at decision-making of a down-to-earth, local kind while being at the same time compatible with the larger aims and interests of the society as a whole. When all sectors of society, whether local agricultural advisers, government officials or politicians are making the necessary sacrifices for the national good, the goal will be near.

However, the goal will be reached, declares President Nyerere, by persuasion not force, by step-by-step transformation. Progress may be slow, but the willingness to cooperate will be all the more deeply-rooted.

In this collection of essays President Nyererc describes in a clear and detailed way the mean by which Tanzania will strive for liberation from its undeveloped condition. These documents from President Nyererc provide a valuable model for the development of the Pacific, an alternative to the present plan which entails certain islands selling themselves to the tourist industry or mining companies and the like.

'Ujamaa' by President Nyerere, is also impelling reading for New Zealanders, for the statements it contains offer this nation goals and guidelines which would enable us to break out of the present social shambles. The political and social principles upon which our society is said to be based have gone through such irrevocable changes that their reality is quite other than that which the nation hoped to attain.

New Zealand is bankrupt of theory in the political and social spheres and is in need of new sources of inspiration. Nyerere's essays could be of great service to this nation. Like China, Tanzania can become a working model with great relevance for New Zealand. In this way Nyererc in 'Ujamaa' offers us much that is valuable, including this statement:

"The important thing for us is the extent to which we succeed in preventing the exploitation of one man by another, and in spreading the concept of working together cooperatively for the common good instead of competitively for individual private gain."