Political policies (7) Flashcards
What were the political policies of each state determined by?
The political policies of each state were determined both by the nature of their leaders, the situation in each country and by the differing legacies of colonialism.
What are the leaders of Tanzania and Congo in the 1960s and 1970s often described as?
The leaders of Tanzania and the Congo in the 1960s and 1970s are often described either as noble leaders who followed their ideals (for example, Julius Nyerere and Patrice Lumumba) or as autocrats who ruled selfishly and corruptly in their own interests (for example, Mobuto Sese Seko).
_____ is usually considered to have been one of Africa’s greatest leaders.
Nyerere
Why is Nyerere considered to be a great leader? (5)
- He retained unity in independent Tanzania and also opposed political and financial corruption.
- He was a philosopher and intellectual who was deeply concerned about the problems of poverty in his country and tried to resolve poverty in practical ways.
- He promoted education, African cultural values and the Swahili language.
- He also led a simple lifestyle that acted as a role model to Tanzanians.
- He was highly respected internationally as a leading statesman.
Why was Nyerere considered not to be a great leader? (2)
- Nyerere was not democratic. He ruled his party and Tanzania in an authoritarian way and imposed a one-party system on the country.
- It can also be argued that despite his good intentions, his policies of African socialism did not work, and levels of poverty did not improve.
Why is Lumumba often described in very positive terms? (3)
- Lumumba is often described in very positive terms.
- He favoured a strong and truly national government for the Congo, he attacked Belgian colonialism openly and stood up for what he believed in, which included pan-Africanism.
- He was a democratically elected leader and was the first and only elected prime minister of the Congo.
What did Lumumba’s murder mean?
His murder meant that he became a martyr, a symbol of the opposition of foreign powers to a truly independent African leader.
Who was Lumumba let down by?
In this view, he was let down by the United Nations and the problems of the Congo were not his fault.
How could it also be argued that Lumumba did not actually achieve much for the Congo?
His death came before he could restore unity and order to the country and it is not certain that his turn to the Soviet Union and his support for communism would have solved the Congo’s problems. Instead, it is possible that if the Congo had become an open ally of the Soviet Union, it would have been caught up in a Cold War conflict of the kind faced by Korea and Vietnam.
In contrast to Lumumba, Mobuto’s leadership of the Congo is usually described in very negative terms. Why? (4)
- He was implicated in Lumumba’s murder.
- He is seen as a military dictator who ignored democracy, he developed a personality cult that made him all-powerful and his public statements became the law.
- He was also highly corrupt and used most of the investment money, loans or aid that was given to the Congo to build his own enormous fortune while most Congolese people lived in poverty.
- Rather than serving the needs of the Congolese, he made the Congo serve the interests of outside Western powers, by promising not to let the Congo become communist, by allowing Western companies to extract mineral wealth from the Congo and by giving them contracts to build large-scale unnecessary projects.
What positivity did Mobuto inspire?
He also strongly promoted Africanisation and promoted himself as the traditional ‘father of the Zairian nation’. ‘This encouraged a sense of national pride in Zaire and in its African culture.
What problem could Mobuto not solve?
Yet, although he ruled as a dictator, he could not solve the problem of the different regions in the country wanting self-government.
