JuliusKambarageNyerere,Ujamaa:TheBasisofAfricanSocialism,April1962

JuliusNyerere,19221999

Ujamaa:TheBasisofAfricanSocialism

Socialismlikedemocracyisanattitudeofmind.Inasocialistsocietyitisthe
socialistattitudeofmind,andnottherigidadherencetoastandardpolitical
pattern,whichisneededtoensurethatthepeoplecareforeachotherswelfare.

Thepurposeofthispaperistoexaminethatattitude.Itisnotintendedtodefine
theinstitutionswhichmayberequiredtoembodyitinamodernsociety.

Intheindividual,asinthesociety,itisanattitude.Itisnotintendedtodefinethe
institutionswhichmayberequiredtoembodyitinamodernsociety.

Intheindividual,asinthesociety,itisanattitudeofmindwhichdistinguishesthe
socialistfromthenonsocialist.Ithasnothingtodowiththepossessionornon
possessionofwealth.Destitutepeoplecanbepotentialcapitalistsexploitersof
theirfellowhumanbeings.Amillionairecanequallywellbeasocialist;hemay
valuehiswealthonlybecauseitcanbeusedintheserviceofhisfellowmen.But
themanwhouseswealthforthepurposeofdominatinganyofhisfellowsisa
capitalist.Soisthemanwhowouldifhecould!

Ihavesaidthatamillionairecanbeagoodsocialist.Butasocialistmillionaireisa
rarephenomenon.Indeedheisalmostacontradictioninterms.Theappearanceof
millionairesinanysocietyisnoproofofitsaffluence;theycanbeproducedbyvery
poorcountrieslikeTanganyikajustaswellasbyrichcountriesliketheUnitedStates
ofAmerica.Foritisnotefficiencyofproduction,northeamountofwealthina
country,whichmakemillionaires;itistheunevendistributionofwhatisproduced.
Thebasicdifferencebetweenasocialistsocietyandacapitalistsocietydoesnotlie
intheirmethodsofproducingwealth,butinthewaythatwealthisdistributed.
While,therefore,amillionairecouldbeagoodsocialist,hecouldhardlybethe
productofasocialistsociety.

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Sincetheappearanceofmillionairesinasocietydoesnotdependonitsaffluence,
sociologistsmayfinditinterestingtotryandfindoutwhyoursocietiesinAfricadid
not,infact,produceanymillionairesforwecertainlyhadenoughwealthtocreate
afew.Ithinktheywoulddiscoverthatitwasbecausetheorganizationoftraditional
Africansocietyitsdistributionofthewealthitproducedwassuchthattherewas
hardlyanyroomforparasitism.Theymightalsosay,ofcourse,thatasaresultof
thisAfricacouldnotproducealeisuredclassoflandowners,andthereforethere
wasnobodytoproducetheworksofartorsciencewhichcapitalistsocietiescan
boast.Butworksofartandtheachievementsofscienceareproductsofthe
intellectwhich,likeland,isoneofGodsgiftstoman.AndIcannotbelievethat
GodissocarelessastohavemadetheuseofoneofHisgiftsdependonthemisuse
ofanother!

Defendersofcapitalismclaimthatthemillionaireswealthisthejustrewardforhis
abilityorenterprise.Butthisclaimisnotborneoutbythefacts.Thewealthofthe
millionairedependsaslittleontheenterpriseor,abilitiesofthemillionairehimself
asthepowerofafeudalmonarchdependedonhisownefforts,enterpriseorbrain.
Bothareusers,exploiters,oftheabilitiesandenterpriseofotherpeople.Even
whenyouhaveanexceptionallyintelligentandhardworkingmillionaire,the
differencebetweenhisintelligence,hisenterprise,hishardwork,andthoseof
othermembersofsociety,cannotpossiblybeproportionatetothedifference
betweentheirrewards.Theremustbesomethingwronginasocietywhereone
man,howeverhardworkingorcleverhemaybe,canacquireasgreatarewardas
athousandofhisfellowscanacquirebetweenthem.

Acquisitivenessforthepurposeofgainingpowerandprestigeisunsocialist.Inan
acquisitivesocietywealthtendstocorruptthosewhopossessit.Ittendstobreedin
themadesiretolivemorecomfortablythantheirfellows,todressbetter,andin
everywaytooutdothem.Theybegintofeeltheymustclimbasfarabovetheir
neighboursastheycan.Thevisiblecontrastbetweentheirowncomfortandthe
comparativediscomfortoftherestofsocietybecomesalmostessentialtothe
enjoymentoftheirwealth,andthissetsoffthespiralofpersonalcompetition
whichisthenantisocial.

Apartfromtheantisocialeffectsoftheaccumulationofpersonalwealth,thevery
desiretoaccumulateitmustbeinterpretedasavoteofnoconfidenceinthesocial
system.Forwhenasocietyissoorganizedthatitcaresaboutitsindividuals,then,
providedheiswillingtowork,noindividual,thenwithinthatsocietyshouldworry
aboutwhatwillhappentohimtomorrowifhedoesnothoardwealthtoday.Society
itselfshouldlookafterhim,orhiswidow,orhisorphans.Thisisexactlywhat
traditionalAfricansocietysucceededindoing.Boththerichandthepoor
individualwerecompletelysecureinAfricansociety.Naturalcatastrophebrought
famine,butitbroughtfaminetoeverybodypoororrich.Nobodystarved,either

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offoodorofhumandignity,becausehelackedpersonalwealth;hecoulddepend
onthewealthpossessedbythecommunityofwhichhewasamember.Thatwas
socialism.Thatissocialism.Therecanbenosuchthingasacquisitivesocialism,for
thatwouldbeanothercontradictioninterms.Socialismisessentiallydistributive.
Itsconcernistoseethatthosewhosowreapafairshareofwhattheysow.

Theproductionofwealth,whetherbyprimitiveormodernmethods,requiresthree
things.First,land.Godhasgivenustheland,anditisfromthelandthatwegetthe
rawmaterialswhichwereshapetomeetourneeds.Secondly,tools.Wehavefound
bysimpleexperiencethattoolsdohelp!Sowemakethehoe,theaxe,orthe
modernfactoryortractor,tohelpustoproducewealththegoodsweneed.And,
thirdly,humanexertionorlabour.WedontneedtoreadKarlMarxorAdam
Smithtofindoutthatneitherthelandnorthehoeactuallyproduceswealth.And
wedontneedtotakedegreesinEconomicstoknowthatneithertheworkernor
thelandlordproducesland.LandisGodsgifttomanitisalwaysthere.Butwedo
know,stillwithoutdegreesinEconomics,thattheaxeandtheploughwere
producedbythelabourer.Someofourmoresophisticatedfriendsapparentlyhave
toundergothemostrigorousintellectualtrainingsimplyinordertodiscoverthat
stoneaxeswereproducedbythatancientgentlemanEarlyMantomakeiteasier
forhimtoskintheimpalahehadjustkilledwithaclub,whichhehadalsomadefor
himself!

IntraditionalAfricansocietyeverybodywasaworker.Therewasnootherwayof
earningalivingforthecommunity.EventheElder,whoappearedtobeenjoying
himselfwithoutdoinganyworkandforwhomeverybodyelseappearedtobe
working,had,infact,workedhardallhisyoungerdays.Thewealthhenow
appearedtopossesswasnothis,personally;itwasonlyhisastheElderofthe
groupwhichhadproducedit.Hewasitsguardian.Thewealthitselfgavehim
neitherpowernorprestige.Therespectpaidtohimbytheyoungwashisbecause
hewasolderthanthey,andhadservedhiscommunitylonger;andthepoorElder
enjoyedasmuchrespectinoursocietyastherichElder.

WhenIsaythatintraditionalAfricansocietyeverybodywasaworker,Idonotuse
thewordworkersimplyasopposedtoemployerbutalsoasopposedtoloiterer
oridler.Oneofthemostsocialisticachievementsofoursocietywasthesenseof
securityitgavetoitsmembers,andtheuniversalhospitalityonwhichtheycould
rely.Butitistoooftenforgotten,nowadays,thatthebasisofthisgreatsocialistic
achievementwasthis:thatitwastakenforgrantedthateverymemberofsociety
barringonlythechildrenandtheinfirmcontributedhisfairshareofeffort
towardstheproductionofitswealth.Notonlywasthecapitalist,orthelanded
exploiter,unknowntotraditionalAfricansociety,butwedidnothavethatother
formofmodernparasitetheloiterer,oridler,whoacceptsthehospitalityof

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societyashisrightbutgivesnothinginreturn!Capitalisticexploitationwas
impossible.Loiteringwasanunthinkabledisgrace.

ThoseofuswhotalkabouttheAfricanwayoflifeand,quiterightly,takeapridein
maintainingthetraditionofhospitalitywhichissogreatapartofit,mightdowell
toremembertheSwahilisaying:Mgenisikumbili;sikuyatatumpejembeorin
English,Treatyourguestasaguestfortwodays;onthethirddaygivehimahoe!
Inactualfact,theguestwaslikelytoaskforthehoeevenbeforehishosthadto
givehimoneforheknewwhatwasexpectedofhim,andwouldhavebeen
ashamedtoremainidleanylonger.Thus,workingwaspartandparcel,wasindeed
theverybasisandjustificationofthissocialistachievementofwhichweareso
justlyproud.

Thereisnosuchthingassocialismwithoutwork.Asocietywhichfailstogiveits
individualsthemeanstowork,or,havinggiventhemthemeanstowork,prevents
themfromgettingafairshareoftheproductsoftheirownsweatandtoil,needs
puttingright.Similarly,anindividualwhocanworkandisprovidedbysocietywith
themeanstoworkbutdoesnotdoso,isequallywrong.Hehasnorighttoexpect
anythingfromsocietybecausehecontributesnothingtosociety.

Theotheruseofthewordworker,initsspecializedsenseofemployee;as
opposedtoemployer,reflectsacapitalistattitudeofmindwhichwasintroduced
intoAfricawiththecomingofcolonialismandistotallyforeigntoourownwayof
thinking.IntheolddaystheAfricanhadneveraspiredtothepossessionofpersonal
wealthforthepurposeofdominatinganyofhisfellows.Hehadneverhad
labourersorfactoryhandstodohisworkforhim.Butthencametheforeign
capitalists.Theywerewealthy.Theywerepowerful.AndtheAfricannaturally
startedwantingtobewealthytoo.Thereisnothingwronginourwantingtobe
wealthy;norisitabadthingforustowanttoacquirethepowerwhichwealth
bringswithit.Butitmostcertainlyiswrongifwewantthewealthandthepowerso
thatwecandominatesomebodyelse.Unfortunatelytherearesomeofuswho
havealreadylearnttocovetwealthforthatpurposeandwhowouldliketouse
themethodswhichthecapitalistusesinacquiringit.Thatistosay,someofus
wouldliketouse,orexploit,ourbrothersforthepurposeofbuildingupourown
personalpowerandprestige.Thisiscompletelyforeigntous,anditisincompatible
withthesocialistsocietywewanttobuildhere.

Ourfirststep,therefore,mustbetoreeducateourselves;toregainourformer
attitudeofmind.InourtraditionalAfricansocietywewereindividualswithina
community.Wetookcareofthecommunity,andthecommunitytookcareofus.
Weneitherneedednorwishedtoexploitourfellowmen.

Andinrejectingthecapitalistattitudeofmindwhichcolonialismbroughtinto
Africa,wemustrejectalsothecapitalistmethodswhichgowithit.Oneoftheseis

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theindividualownershipofland.TousinAfricalandwasalwaysrecognizedas
belongingtothecommunity.Eachindividualwithinoursocietyhadarighttothe
useofland,becauseotherwisehecouldnotearnhislivingandonecannothavethe
righttolifewithoutalsohavingtherighttosomemeansofmaintaininglife.Butthe
Africansrighttolandwassimplytherighttouseit;hehadnootherrighttoit,nor
diditoccurtohimtotryandclaimone.

Theforeignerintroducedacompletelydifferentconcepttheconceptoflandasa
marketablecommodity.Accordingtothissystem,apersoncouldclaimapieceof
landashisownprivatepropertywhetherheintendedtouseitornot.Icouldtakea
fewsquaremilesofland,callthemmine,andthengoofftothemoon.AllIhadto
dotogainalivingfrommylandwastochargearenttothepeoplewhowantedto
useit.IfthispieceoflandwasinanurbanareaIhadnoneedtodevelopitatall;I
couldleaveittothefoolswhowerepreparedtodevelopalltheotherpiecesofland
surroundingMypiece,andindoingsoautomaticallytoraisethemarketvalueof
mine.

ThenIcouldcomedownfromthemoonanddemandthatthesefoolspayme
throughtheirnosesforthehighvalueofmylandavaluewhichtheythemselves
hadcreatedformewhileIwasenjoyingmyselfonthemoon!Suchasystemisnot
onlyforeigntous,itiscompletelywrong.Landlords,inasocietywhichrecognizes
individualownershipofland,canbe,andusuallyare,inthesameclassasthe
loiterersIwastalkingabout:theclassofparasites.

WemustnotallowthegrowthofparasiteshereinTanganyika.TheTANU
GovernmentmustgobacktothetraditionalAfricancustomoflandholding.Thatis
tosayamemberofsocietywillbeentitledtoapieceoflandonconditionthathe
usesit.Unconditional,orfreehold,ownershipofland(whichleadstospeculation
andparasitism)mustbeabolished.Wemust,asIhavesaid,regainourformer
attitudeofmindourtraditionalAfricansocialismandapplyittothenew
societieswearebuildingtoday.TANUhaspledgeditselftomakesocialismthebasis
ofitspolicyineveryfield.ThepeopleofTanganyikahavegivenustheirmandateto
carryoutthatpolicy,byelectingaTANUGovernmenttoleadthem.Sothe
Governmentcanbereliedupontointroduceonlylegislationwhichisinharmony
withsocialistprinciples.

But,asIsaidatthebeginning,truesocialismisanattitudeofmind.Itistherefore
uptothepeopleofTanganyikathepeasants,thewageearners,thestudents,the
leaders,allofustomakesurethatthissocialistattitudeofmindisnotlost
throughthetemptationstopersonalgain(ortotheabuseofpositionsofauthority)
whichmaycomeourwayasindividuals,orthroughthetemptationtolookonthe
goodofthewholecommunityasofsecondaryimportancetotheinterestsofour
ownparticulargroup.

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JustastheElder,inourformersociety,wasrespectedforhisageandhisserviceto
thecommunity,so,inourmodernsociety,thisrespectforageandservicewillbe
preserved.AndinthesamewayastherichEldersapparentwealthwasreallyonly
heldbyhimintrustforhispeople,so,today,theapparentextrawealthwhich
certainpositionsofleadershipmaybringtotheindividualswhofillthem,canbe
theirsonlyinsofarasitisanecessaryaimtothemcarryingoutoftheirduties.Itis
atoolentrustedtothemforthebenefitofthepeopletheyserve.Itisnottheirs
personally;andtheymaynotuseanypartofitasameansofaccumulatingmorefor
theirownbenefit,norasaninsuranceagainstthedaywhentheynolongerhold
thesamepositions.Thatwouldbetobetraythepeoplewhoentrustedittothem.If
theyservethecommunitywhiletheycan,thecommunitymustlookafterthem
whentheyarenolongerabletodoso.

Intribalsociety,theindividualsorthefamilieswithinatribewererichorpoor
accordingtowhetherthewholetribewasrichorpoor.Ifthetribeprosperedallthe
membersofthetribesharedinitsprosperity.Tanganyika,today,isapoorcountry.
Thestandardoflivingofthemassesofourpeopleisshamefullylow.Butifevery
manandwomaninthecountrytakesupthechallengeandworkstothelimitofhis
orherabilityforthegoodofthewholesociety,Tanganyikawillprosper;andthat
prosperitywillbesharedbyallherpeople.

Butitmustbeshared.Thetruesocialistmaynotexploithisfellows.Sothatifthe
membersofanygroupwithinoursocietyaregoingtoarguethat,becausethey
happentobecontributingmoretothenationalincomethansomeothergroups,
theymustthereforetakeforthemselvesagreatershareoftheprofitsoftheirown
industrythantheyactuallyneed;andiftheyinsistonthisinspiteofthefactthatit
wouldmeanreducingtheirgroupscontributiontothegeneralincomeandthus
slowingdowntherateatwhichthewholecommunitycanbenefit,thenthatgroup
isexploiting(ortryingtoexploit)itsfellowhumanbeings.Itisdisplayingacapitalist
attitudeofmind.

Thereareboundtobecertaingroupswhich,byvirtueofthemarketvalueoftheir
particularindustrysproducts,willcontributemoretothenationsincomethan
others.Buttheothersmayactuallybeproducinggoodsorserviceswhichareof
equal,orgreater,intrinsicvaluealthoughtheydonothappentocommandsucha
highartificialvalue.Forexample,thefoodproducedbythepeasantfarmerisof
greatersocialvaluethanthediamondsminedatMwadui.Butthemineworkersof
Mwaduicouldclaim,quitecorrectly,thattheirlabourwasyieldinggreaterfinancial
profitstothecommunitythanthatofthefarmers.If,however,theywentonto
demandthattheyshouldthereforebegivenmostofthatextraprofitfor
themselves,andthatnoshareofitshouldbespentonhelpingthefarmers,they
wouldbepotentialcapitalists!

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Thisisexactlywheretheattitudeofmindcomesin.Itisoneofthepurposesof
tradeunionstoensurefortheworkersafairshareoftheprofitsoftheirlabour.But
afairsharemustbefairinrelationtothewholesociety.Ifitisgreaterthanthe
countrycanaffordwithouthavingtopenalizesomeothersectionofsociety,thenit
isnotafairshare.Tradeunionleadersandtheirfollowers,andlongastheyaretrue
socialists,willnotneedtobecoercedbytheGovernmentintokeepingtheir
demandswithinthelimitsimposedbytheneedsofsocietyasawhole.Onlyifthere
arepotentialcapitalistsamongstthemwillthesocialistgovernmenthavetostepin
andpreventthemfromputtingtheircapitalistideasintopractice!

Aswithgroups,sowithindividuals.Therearecertainskills,certainqualifications,
which,forgoodreasons,commandahigherrateofsalaryfortheirpossessorsthan
others.But,hereagain,thetruesocialistwilldemandonlythatreturnforhisskilled
workwhichheknowstobeafaironeinproportiontothewealthorpovertyofthe
wholesocietytowhichhebelongs.Hewillnot,unlessheisawouldbecapitalist,
attempttoblackmailthecommunitybydemandingasalaryequaltothatpaidtohis
counterpartinsomefarwealthiersociety.

EuropeansocialismwasbornoftheAgrarianRevolutionandtheIndustrial
Revolutionwhichfollowedit.Theformercreatedthelandedandthelandless
classesinsociety;thelatterproducedthemoderncapitalistandtheindustrial
proletariat.

Thesetworevolutionsplantedtheseedsofconflictwithinsociety,andnotonlywas
Europeansocialismbornofthatconflict,butitsapostlessanctifiedtheconflictitself
intoaphilosophy.Civilwarwasnolongerlookeduponassomethingevil,or
somethingunfortunate,butassomethinggoodandnecessary.

AsprayeristoChristianityortoIslam,socivilwar(whichtheycallclasswar)isto
theEuropeanversionofsocialismameansinseparablefromtheend.Each
becomesthebasisofawholewayoflife.TheEuropeansocialistcannotthinkofhis
socialismwithoutitsfathercapitalism!

Broughtupintribalsocialism,ImustsayIfindthiscontradictionquiteintolerable.It
givescapitalismaphilosophicalstatuswhichcapitalismneitherclaimsnordeserves.
Foritvirtuallysays,Withoutcapitalism,andtheconflictwhichcapitalismcreates
withinsociety,therecanbenosocialism!Thisglorificationofcapitalismbythe
doctrinaireEuropeansocialists,Irepeat,Ifindintolerable.

Africansocialism,ontheotherhand,didnothavethebenefitoftheAgrarian
RevolutionortheIndustrialRevolution.Itdidnotstartfromtheexistenceof
conflictingclassesinsociety.IndeedIdoubtiftheequivalentforthewordclass
existsinanyindigenousAfricanlanguage;forlanguagedescribestheideasofthose
whospeakit,andtheideaofclassorcastewasnonexistentinAfricansociety.

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Thefoundation,andtheobjective,ofAfricansocialismistheextendedfamily.The
trueAfricansocialistdoesnotlookononeclassofmenashisbrethrenandanother
ashisnaturalenemies.Hedoesnotformanalliancewiththebrethrenforthe
exterminationofthenonbrethren.

Heratherregardsallmenashisbrethrenasmembersofhiseverextending
family.ThatiswhythefirstarticleofTANUSCreedis:Binadamuwotenindugu
zangu,naAfrikanimoja.IfthishadbeenoriginallyputinEnglish,itcouldhave
been:IbelieveinHumanBrotherhoodandtheUnityofAfrica.

Ujamaa,then,orFamilyhood,describesoursocialism.Itisopposedtocapitalism,
whichseekstobuildahappysocietyonthebasisoftheexploitationofmanbyman;
anditisequallyopposedtodoctrinairesocialismwhichseekstobuilditshappy
societyonaphilosophyofinevitableconflictbetweenmanandman.

We,inAfrica,havenomoreneedofbeingconvertedtosocialismthanwehaveof
beingtaughtdemocracy.Botharerootedinourownpastinthetraditional
societywhichproducedus.ModernAfricansocialismcandrawfromitstraditional
heritagetherecognitionofsocietyasanextensionofthebasicfamilywithinthe
limitsofthetribe,nor,indeed,ofthenation.FornotrueAfricansocialistcanlookat
alinedrawnonamapandsay.Thepeopleonthissideofthatlinearemybrothers,
butthosewhohappentoliveontheothersideofitcanhavenoclaimonme;
everyindividualonthiscontinentishisbrother.

Itwasinthestruggletobreakthegripofcolonialismthatwelearnttheneedfor
unity.Wecametorecognizethatthesamesocialistattitudeofmindwhich,inthe
tribaldays,gavetoeveryindividualthesecuritythatcomesofbelongingtoawidely
extendedfamily,mustbepreservedwithinthestillwidersocietyofthenation.But
weshouldnotstopthere.Ourrecognitionofthefamilytowhichweallbelongmust
beextendedyetfurtherbeyondthetribe,thecommunity,thenation,oreventhe
continenttoembracethewholesocietyofmankind.Thisistheonlylogical
conclusionfortruesocialism.

From:http://www.nathanielturner.com/ujamaanyerere.htm
And:http://www.jpanafrican.com/edocs/eDocUjamma3.5.pdf
And:http://www.juliusnyerere.info/images/uploads/ujamaa_1962.pdf

Course:AfricanRevolutionaryWriting

20102a,JuliusNyerere,UjamaaTheBasisofAfricanSocialism,1962

3969words

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