Red Africa: Reclaiming Revolutionary Black Politics

Red Africa is a political project that seeks to revive Marxist anticolonial struggles and build a decolonized future based on the principles of freedom and utopian promise. It challenges the claim that Marxism and Black radicalism are incompatible and advocates for a new political movement that can sustain the utopian promise of freedom and resist the forces of suppression and erasure.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2023
Publisher: Verso Books

Red Africa makes a compelling case for a revolutionary Black politics inspired by Marxist anticolonial struggles in Africa. In contemporary debates on Black radicalism and decolonisation, the concerns that drove their twentieth-century intellectual forebears have been overlooked. However, Okoth responds to this assertion, challenging the idea that Marxism and Black radicalism are inherently incompatible. He demonstrates that both ideologies are embraced within the anti-imperialist tradition he refers to as Red Africa .

The politics of Black revolutionary writers such as Eduardo Mondlane, Amílcar Cabral, Walter Rodney, and Andrée Blouin point towards a decolonised future that never materialised. Instead, it was betrayed, violently suppressed, or erased. Nonetheless, there is still hope to build something new from the ruins of national liberation. Red Africa is a political project that aims to salvage what remains of this tradition and uphold the utopian promise of freedom while refusing to surrender.

The book explores the historical and political context of Black radicalism in Africa, tracing its roots from the struggles against colonialism to the present day. It examines the works of these revolutionary writers and their ideas, highlighting their commitment to social justice, self-determination, and the dismantling of oppressive systems.

Okoth argues that Marxism and Black radicalism are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary. He demonstrates how the principles of Marxism, such as class struggle, exploitation, and the struggle for social transformation, can be applied to the specific context of Black struggles for liberation. He also highlights the importance of cultural and historical factors in shaping Black radicalism and how these factors can be used to build a more inclusive and sustainable political movement.

Red Africa is not just a historical analysis but also a call to action. It encourages readers to engage in the ongoing struggle for Black liberation and to build a political movement that is rooted in the principles of social justice, self-determination, and equality. The book provides a roadmap for building a decolonised future that is based on the principles of freedom, democracy, and social responsibility.

In conclusion, Red Africa is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debates on Black radicalism and decolonisation. It offers a fresh perspective on the history and politics of Black radicalism in Africa and demonstrates how Marxism and Black radicalism can be reconciled to build a more inclusive and sustainable political movement. The book encourages readers to engage in the struggle for Black liberation and to build a future that is based on the principles of social justice, self-determination, and equality.

Weight: 154g
Dimension: 197 x 129 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839767371