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The latter is the most significant phase as it defines the triumph or failure of the national liberation
movement based on the questions paused and answered. Although national liberation movements hoped to
win militarily against the imperial rule and oppression, negotiations were not ruled out as the last option

or in case of stalemate. Central to Cabral’s theory of national liberation bears the assumption that social
transformation and centrality of politics over military forms the basis of a successful national liberation
movement. The second phase is where the real questions of national liberation movements are posed and
answered. Such questions revolve around economic, political and social transformation but in a manner that

radically and fundamentally changes or alters the status quo (Ntalaja, 1984).

An understanding of Cabral’s theory of national liberation presupposes an understanding of his theoretical
orientations and praxis that cuts across Marxism, realism, humanism, existentialism, pragmatism and
materialism. The holistic understanding of his political thought would lead to his proper grasp of his theory

of national liberation. According to Cabral, national liberation is defined as representing a reality that goes
beyond independence and liquidates imperialism. As we have noted above, Cabral espoused Marxism but
departed from it on the assumption that class struggle is not the base of historical existence of a society
but rather the mode of production. He was however categorical on agents of impoverishing third world

countries as colonialism, neo colonialism and imperialism but emphatic that the mainaim of national
liberation movements was imperialism.

Cabral was also pragmatic. The latter is a movement in philosophy intellectually connectedtoCharles Sanders

Peirce, William James and John Dewey and assumes that a theory is true if it can work in practice. That
is to say ideas are useful only if they solve human problems. Humanism rejects all forms of supernatural
and authoritarian beliefs by emphasizing rational and scientific inquiry. Furthermore, humanists assume
responsibility of one’s own lives and actions. What is more, individual freedom, cooperation and tolerance
is highly valued. Cabral placed emphasis on people themselves but not the impulse of the supernatural

beings as far as national liberation is concerned.

His other theoretical orientation is existentialism. This is a school of thought in philosophy that assumes man’s
superiority over nature, choice making, human freedom and responsibility. The school of thought assumes
that life can be meaningful in so far as one exercises freedom and choices in line with personal preferences.

Shin notes “existentialism embraced a diversity of styles and convictions. Though, its one’sunwavering
characteristic as indicated by the origin of the word is the main concern for human existence especially
for the affirmation of freedom and the refusal to subordinate personal self-awareness to abstract concepts

or dehumanizing social structure. It signifiesrevolt against established ideas and institutions that hinder
personal autonomy and negate autonomy (Shinn, 1992:762). The existentialism stands at variance with
recognized ideas or institutions that negate personal autonomy and aspirations. Cabral’s argument and
case for self-reliance as a way of achieving organic development is a result of his ideas on existentialism.
(Mukandabantu,1983)

Cabral could also be understood and studied as a realist thinker. Realism is a philosophical thought that
posit that object or reality has objective existence outside the mind (Unah, 2000). Cabral equally observed
that man is part of reality and reality exists independent of mans will but man has the potential to transform

reality gradually (Cabral, 1980:45). In his view, the reality of Guinea Bissau’s social structure determined
the manner colonial war was to be waged. Thus, any liberation struggle must be conscious of social, political

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