Page 110 - CONSCIENCISM By Kwame Nkrumah_Neat

10 4 CONSCIENCISM
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This triumph must be accompanied by knowledge. For in the
referred to ripen. Besides, political independence, though worth
way that the process ofnatural evolution can be aided by human
while in itself, is still ouly a means to the fuller redemption and
intervention based upon knowledge, so social evolution can be realization of a people. When independence has been gained,
helped along by political intervention based upon knowledge of positive action requires a new orientation away from the sheer
the laws ofsocial development. Political action aimed at speeding destruction of colonialism and towards national reconstruction.
up social evolution is ofthe nature ofa catalyst. It is indeed in this address to national reconstruction that positive
need for such a catalyst is created by the fact that natural action faces its gravest dangers. The cajolement, the wheedlings,
evolution is always wasteful. It takes place at the cost of massive
the seductions and the Trojan horses of neo-colonialism must be
loss oflife and at the cost ofextreme anguish. Evolution speeded by
stoutly resisted, for neo-colonialism is a latter-day harpy, a monster
scientific knowledge is prompter, and represents an economy of
which entices its victims with sweet music.
material. In the same way, the catalysis which political action
In order to be able to carry out this resistance to neo-colonialism
introduces into social evolution represents an economy oftime,
at every point, positive action requires to be armed with an
and talent.
ideology, all ideology which, vitalizing it and operating tl1.rough a
Without positive action, a colonial territory cannot be truly
mass party shall eqtrip it with a regenerative concept ofthe world
liberated. It is doomed to creep in its petty pace from day to day
and life, forge for it a strong continuing link with our past and
towards the attainment ofa sham independence that turns to dust, offer to it an assured bond with our future. Under the searchlight of
independence which is shot through and through with the supreme an ideology, every fact affecting the life ofa people can be assessed
interest of an alien power. 'fo achieve true liberation, positive
and judged, and nco-colonialism's detrimental aspirations and
action must begin with an objective analysis ofthe situation which
sleights ofhand will constantly stand exposed.
it seeks to change. Such an analysis I attempted in Towards Colonial
In order that this ideology should be comprehensive, in order
Freedom. Positive action must, furthermore, seek an alignment of
should light up every aspect ofthe life ofour people, in order
all the forces of progress and, by marshalling them, confront
that it should affect the total interest ofour society, establishing a
negative forces. It must at the same time anticipate and contain its
continuity with our past, it must be socialist in form and in content
own inner contradictions, for, though positive action unites those
be embraced by a mass party.
forces of a situation which are, in regard to a specific purpose,
And yet, socialism in Africa today tends to lose its objective
progressive, many ofthese forces will contain tendencies which are
content in favour of a distracting terminology and in favour of a
in other respects reactionary.
general confusion. Discussion centres more on the various con­
Hence, when positive action resorts to an alignment offorces, it
ceivable types ofsocialism than upon the need for socialist develop­
creates in itself seams at which this alignment might fall apart. It is
ment. More is surely required than a mere reaction against a policy
essential that positive action should in its dialectical evolution
of domination. Independence is of the people; it is won by the
anticipate this seminal disintegration and discover a way ofcontain­
people for the people. That independence is of the people is
ing the future schismatic tendencies, a way of nipping frag­
admitted by every enlightened theory of sovereignty. That it is
mentation in the bud as colonialism begins to reel and totter under
won by the people is to be seen in the successes ofmass movements
frontal onslaught ofpositive action.
everywhere. That it is won for the people follows from their
But even with colonialism worsted, positive action cannot
ownership of sovereignty. The people have not mastered their
relent, for it is at about this time that the schismatic tendencies
independence until it has been given a national and social content