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Kwame Nkrumah - Consciencism: Philosophy and ideology for decolonication (Revised Edition)
Originally written in 1964 (and revised in 1970), while Nkrumah was still in office as President
Ghana, 'Consciencism' seeks to explain African culture and tradition in Western terminology. As
president, Nkrumah had chosen a non-aligned Marxist perspective on economics, and believed capitalism's
malign effects were going to stay with Africa for a long time. Although he distanced himself from the
African socialism of many of his contemporaries he saw socialism as the most fit mode of economic
management in Africa and in 'Consciencism' he explains those ideas.
His analysis is that the equlibrium of African society was disturbed by the colonialism that preceeded
his rule, and that post-colonial capitalism is an inherently non-African form of economic management.
Instead, he suggests that African culture is materialist (hence also intrinsically egalitarian) and
humanist in such a way that it is compatible rather with socialism than capitalism.
As Prime Minister (1954-60) and President (1960-66) of Ghana, Krumah was preoccupied with national- and
socialist development. He wished to reduce Ghanas dependency on foreign capital and technology - to move
Ghana out of the colonial trading patterns - and undertook massive and expensive projects. The zenith of
these was Akosombo Dam, opened a month before a military coup d'état removed him from power:
Nkrumah's industialization had changed Ghana from being one of the richest to one of the poorest countries
in Africa. In 'Consciencism', however, these projects are justified:
Neo-colonialism is a greater danger to independent countries than is colonialism.
Colonialism is crude, essentially overt, and apt to be overcome by a powerful concert of national effort.
In neo-colonialism, however, the people are divided from their leaders and, instead of providing true
leadership and guidance which is informed at every point by the ideal of the general welfare, leaders come
to neglect the very people who put them in power and incautiously become instruments of supression on
behalf of the neo-colonialists.
Overall, 'Consciencism' and Nkrumah's ideological system philosophical consciencism serve as a
basis for explanation of his increasingly unpopular descisions as a national leader. Published two years
before the coup that forced him into exile and revised two years before his death, 'Consciencism' seeks to
explain Nkrumah's Africa - a colonial philosopher's experience of postcolonial Africa. It seems that his
actions more often than not reflect the ideology he has himself derived from socialism, the philosophical
consciencism: the construction of the Akosombo Dam reflects his fear of neo-colonialism and his military
support to those fighting the South African Smith administration reflects, perhaps, his pan-Africanist ideals.
When he was voted Africa's man of the millennium by listeners to the BBC World Service in 2000, that probably
reflected this commitment and faith, and he remains an influental and respected politician and thinker to this
day.
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Originally written in 1964 (and revised in 1970), while Nkrumah was still in office as President
Ghana, 'Consciencism' seeks to explain African culture and tradition in Western terminology. As
president, Nkrumah had chosen a non-aligned Marxist perspective on economics, and believed capitalism's
malign effects were going to stay with Africa for a long time. Although he distanced himself from the
African socialism of many of his contemporaries he saw socialism as the most fit mode of economic
management in Africa and in 'Consciencism' he explains those ideas.
His analysis is that the equlibrium of African society was disturbed by the colonialism that preceeded
his rule, and that post-colonial capitalism is an inherently non-African form of economic management.
Instead, he suggests that African culture is materialist (hence also intrinsically egalitarian) and
humanist in such a way that it is compatible rather with socialism than capitalism.
As Prime Minister (1954-60) and President (1960-66) of Ghana, Krumah was preoccupied with national- and
socialist development. He wished to reduce Ghanas dependency on foreign capital and technology - to move
Ghana out of the colonial trading patterns - and undertook massive and expensive projects. The zenith of
these was Akosombo Dam, opened a month before a military coup d'état removed him from power:
Nkrumah's industialization had changed Ghana from being one of the richest to one of the poorest countries
in Africa. In 'Consciencism', however, these projects are justified:
