Marxism and Decolonization in the 21st Century: Living Theories and True Ideas

413 Pages·2021·45.618 MB·English

by  Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni and Morgan Ndlovu

‘In the excitement over the current surge in decoloniality theory, some riding this
wave are oblivious of the powerful role played by Marxism in analysing the oppressive
nature of global capital and in illuminating the path of national liberation. The editors
and authors of this collection confront this erasure, highlighting the influence of
Marxism on the great thinkers of decolonization and exploring both the intersections
and tensions between the two streams of thought and the movements shaped by them
in the great battles against capitalism and colonialism. For those seeking decoloniza-
tion of the mind and the world, this book is a stimulus and a resource in incorporating
the best of progressive traditions while thinking freshly into the future.’
Helena Sheehan, Emeritus Professor, Dublin City University,
Ireland, author of Marxism and the Philosophy of Science:
A Critical History and Navigating the Zeitgeist
‘This book relaunches the important debate about the relevance of Marxism for the
unfinished project of decolonization—u nderstood as local and global decoloniality—
just as it rightly keeps in view that decoloniality necessarily involves a critique of
capitalism as an economic, political, and ideological system. The book offers multiple
invaluable approaches to the exploration of this task, grounded on a large array of
perspectives from the Global South. It is an indispensable reference for exploring
Marxism, decoloniality, as well as their connections and tensions in the 21st century.’
Nelson Maldonado- Torres, Professor of Latino & Hispanic
Caribbean Studies, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
‘In an Africa that seeks its epistemological freedom, what place does Marxist
thought occupy? This book presents the case for the critical value of Marxist
thought, but turns away from party vanguardism and Stalinism, and the coercion that
so often came in the name of Marx. The contributors show how Marxism inspired
African freedom fighters and decolonization, even now, is a weapon against today’s
dictatorships. It argues that Africa champions the Marxism that was in fact never
realized in Europe.’
Stephen Chan OBE, Professor of World Politics, School of Oriental
and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK
‘This book argues convincingly that neo-l iberalism has not pushed Marxism to
oblivion. It equally demonstrates the maximalist connections between Marxism
and decoloniality, focusing on the impact of globalization, nationalism, politics, cre-
ativity, and the media. Here is a compelling book that provides a solid foundation
for teaching and research, and it reminds us that Marxism is integral to politics in a
new reading of Africa.’
Toyin Falola, Professor and the Frances and Sanger Mossiker
Chair in the Humanities, University of Texas at Austin, USA

MARXISM AND DECOLONIZATION

IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Marxism and Decolonization in the 21st Century is a ground- breaking work that
highlights the resurgence and insurgence of Marxism and decolonization, and the
ways in which decolonization and decoloniality are grounded in the contributions
of Black Marxism, the Radical Black tradition, and anti-c olonial liberation traditions.
Featuring leading and young scholars and activists, this book is a practical
scholarly intervention that shows how democratic Marxism and decoloniality might
converge to provoke planetary decolonization in the 21st century. At the centre of
this process, enabled by both increasing human entanglements and the resilience
of racism, the volume’s contributors analyse converging forces of anti- imperialism,
anti- colonialism, anti-p atriarchy, anti-s exism, Indigenous People’s movements, eco-
feminist formations, and intellectual movements levelled against Eurocentrism.
This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and intellectuals interested
in Marxism, decolonization, and transnational activism.
Sabelo J. Ndlovu-G atsheni is Professor/ Chair of Epistemologies of the Global
South with Emphasis in Africa at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He is a
leading decolonial theorist and historian with over 100 publications; recent books
include Decolonization, Development and Knowledge in Africa: Turning Over a New Leaf
(2020) and Epistemic Freedom in Africa: Deprovincialization and Decolonization (2018).
Morgan Ndlovu is Professor of Anthropology and Development Studies at
the University of Zululand in South Africa and a founding member of the
Africa Decolonial Research Network (ADERN). He is the author of Performing
Indigeneity: Spectacles of Culture and Identity in Coloniality (2019).
WORLDING BEYOND THE WEST

Series Editors:
Arlene B. Tickner, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia,
David Blaney, Macalester College, USA, and
Inanna Hamati- Ataya, Cambridge University, UK
Historically, the International Relations (IR) discipline has established its boundaries,
issues, and theories based upon Western experience and traditions of thought. This
series explores the role of geocultural factors, institutions, and academic practices in
creating the concepts, epistemologies, and methodologies through which IR know-
ledge is produced. This entails identifying alternatives for thinking about the ‘inter-
national’ that are more in tune with local concerns and traditions outside the West.
But it also implies provincializing Western IR and empirically studying the practice
of producing IR knowledge at multiple sites within the so- called ‘West’.
Decolonization, Development and Knowledge in Africa
Turning Over a New Leaf
Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni
Intersectional Decoloniality
Reimagining International Relations and the Problem of Difference
Marcos S. Scauso
Internal Colonialism and International Relations
Tracks of Decolonization in Bolivia
Ana Carolina Teixeira Delgado
Marxism and Decolonization in the 21st Century
Living Theories and True Ideas
Edited by Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni and Morgan Ndlovu
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/ Worlding-
Beyond- the- West/ book- series/ WBW
MARXISM AND

DECOLONIZATION IN
THE 21ST CENTURY
Living Theories and True Ideas
Edited by Sabelo J. Ndlovu-G atsheni
and Morgan Ndlovu
First published 2022
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni and
Morgan Ndlovu; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni and Morgan Ndlovu to be identified
as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters,
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
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British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Sabelo J., editor. | Ndlovu, Morgan, editor.
Title: Marxism and decolonization in the 21st century : living theories and
true ideas / edited by Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni and Morgan Ndlovu
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. |
Series: Worlding beyond the west |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021003288 (print) | LCCN 2021003289 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780367708719 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367708641 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003148302 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Decolonization. | Communism.
Classification: LCC JV152 .M37 2020 (print) |
LCC JV152 (ebook) | DDC 325/.301–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021003288
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021003289
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 70871- 9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 70864- 1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 14830- 2 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Newgen Publishing UK
CONTENTS

Notes on contributors x

The global contributions of Black decolonial Marxism— a foreword xiii

Ramón Grosfoguel
Acknowledgements xxiv

1 Introduction: Marxism and decolonization in the 21st century 1

Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni and Morgan Ndlovu
PART I
Marxist and decolonial theories 29

2 The philosophy of liberation: troubling the Marxism of the
21st century in Africa 31

William J. Mpofu
3 The limits of postcolonial critique of Marxism: a defence of
radical universalism 49

Michael Nassen Smith
4 From Karl Marx to Kwame Nkrumah: towards a decolonial
political economy 68

Paul Emiljanowicz
5 Triple internationalism: imperialism, Marxism, and decolonization 89

Sabelo J. Ndlovu- Gatsheni
viii Contents
6 Marxist theory, decoloniality, and Black African subjectivity 109

Khanyile Mlotshwa
7 Convergence and divergence of Marxism and decolonisation
of the 21st century 126

Tlhabane M. Dan Motaung
PART II
Marxist and decolonial praxis 149

8 Black Marxism and liberatory praxis: the contributions of
Black Marxists to decolonization thought 151

Simon Rakei and Phethani Madzivhandila
9 The constraints for Marxism and African revolutions:
breaking bread with Ayi Kwei Armah 171

Siphamandla Zondi
10 Ante- Marx(ism): Biko, conquest, and Azania 186

Tendayi Sithole
11 Biographical comparative analysis of Black Power and
Black Consciousness activists: Onkgopotse and Stokely 210

Mojuta Steven Motlhamme
12 Racial capitalism: Marxism and decolonial politics 228

Khwezi Mabasa
13 Is Marxism clad in Eurocentric garb? A decolonial political
economy of the media 248

Blessed Ngwenya
PART III
Empirical interventions: race, gender, class, culture,
and land 265

14 Marxism in decoloniality: a non- reductionist approach to
colonial wounded- ness in the 21st century 267

Morgan Ndlovu
Contents ix
15 ‘For what the first sight misses is the invisible’: decolonial
feminism and the representation of women in Dalit women’s
writing 281

Debadrita Chakraborty
16 ‘Cargo- cultism’ vs. ‘everyday decoloniality’ in 21st-century
India: reflections on multiracial decolonial practices of the
Anglo- Indians 305

Sayan Dey
17 Economic policy- making and gender in 21st-c entury
South Africa: a Marxist feminist look into policy 328

Funzani Mtembu
18 Karl Marx is long dead; long live Karl Marx: Zimbabwe’s
fast- tracked land reform viewed through Marxist lenses 339

Tom Tom and Clement Chipenda
19 Marxism, decoloniality, and the plight of mineworkers in
South Africa 355

Robert Maseko
Postscript 372

Aditya Nigam
Index 377