Sango, Kamana Kitakaia2021-08-102021-08-101988Sango, Kamana Kitakaia (1988) Mass-parties and the problematic of transition to socialism in the LDCs: the case of Tanzania, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaamhttp://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/15356Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF HX456.Z752)The primary objective of this study is to make a critique of the capacity of mass (political) parties, which are dominant in the LDCs, to lead the masses towards the transition to socialism. Under stably, the upsurge of nationalist struggles against colonial domination had united various social groups behind nationalist movements. Despite the unpretending generality of the unity of forces in the struggles for independence, it was the petty-bourgeois class which led the nationalist struggles. The reason for this development can be explained within the historical context of the relations of imperialism with colonial countries. The upsurge of nationalist struggles however, was influenced by historical events, -first, by the great October Socialist Revolution of the Soviet Union, and Secondly by the imperialist World War II both of which led in varying degrees to the crisis of the World Capitalist system. Following the crisis of capitalism, the colonial system of imperialism was weekend. The maintenance of colonies was thus a burden. As a corollary of this, imperialists resolved to grant political independence to their colonies, provided that state power remained in the hands of those who would protect interests of capital, and so maintain the historical relations with imperialism. It was therefore to the petty-bourgeoisie, organized in their nationalist parties, that political power was granted. In the post-independence developments that followed, these nationalist movements become the dominant mass parties in their respective states which become constitutionally mono-party states. The new party-states, now with state-power, presided over the colonial economy and institutions which carried forward the under-development mission of imperialism. In the process of the development of the neo-colonial countries, the system of underdevelopment and its structure are strengthened and regenerated. But the neo-colonial economy expresses the contradictions inherent in the capitalist system adopted at independence. The solution to these contradictions had to be found in the field of ideology of the parties in power. This was ‘socialism’ under different labels. The ruling mass-parties therefore made a spontaneous option for socialism as their ideology, to build socialism using the same capitalist structures and the same party organization. But an historical appraisal and the interests of the asses in the LDCs disclose their disfavor for the capitalist system. This is the case of Tanzania, a country whose ruling mass-party, the CCM, we have taken as a case of our study in respect of the observations we have advanced above. This study is organized in six chapters. In chapter one we present the problem of our research. The problem is presented in a historical approach to account for events and their inter-connection. Upon arrival at the statement of the problem we also show our specific objectives of the study, hypotheses guiding the study, and the methodology used. Chapter two consists of two sections. Section one deals with epistemological issues on the transition problematic. It discusses and differentiates between social democratic revolution in its narrow and broad sense on the one hand, and the socialist revolution on the other. An analysis of the social forces capable of forming an alliance during the democratic stage of the revolution is presented. While section one deals with our theoretical model to be used in our study, section two gives a survey of literature on ‘Socialism in Tanzania. It examines the themes on party organization, structure, ideology and class struggle. Chapter three discusses the origins, structure, and organization of the CCM. It explores the beginning of nationalism on Tanzania mainland, and the emergence of TANU as a nationalist movement. The struggle for independence and the post-independence developments are presented in a historical analysis. It explains how TANU became the dominant party, and the merger of TANU and the ASP that gave birth to the CCM. Following from chapter three, the ideology of the party is discussed in chapter four. We hold this chapter to be the most important part of our study. This is based on the assumption that a political party, as a social organization, should have aims and objectives which unite its members for a common cause. Analysis of ideology in relation to the party’s organization reveals whose class interests a given ideology serves. Chapter five analyses the position and organization of workers and peasants in industry policies and policy implementation. The discussion in this chapter analyses their position and lack of autonomy to organize themselves. Chapter six gives a summary of the study findings and suggestions for future research, on ‘untapped’ aspects of the transition problematic. The conclusions of the findings are related to the hypotheses of the study.enPolitics and GovernmentSocialismDeveloping areasTanzaniaThesis