What&apos;s left?: The South African communist party after apartheid

Adams, Simon Timothy

doi:10.1080/03056249708704255

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Review of African Political Economy

Volume 24, Issue 72

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What's left?: The South African communist party after apartheid

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Author(s): Simon Adams ^a

Publication date (Print): June 1997

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

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Abstract

The Communist Party of South Africa survived the collapse of communist states by virtue of its remarkable record of opposition to apartheid and its alliance with the ANC and COSATU. While this has allowed it to expand dramatically in membership and power since its legalisation in 1990, that power has accrued at the cost of influence. The Party leadership has found itself supporting conservative economic strategies and anti‐union actions, turning it into a pressure ‘five degrees to the left’ of the ANC. Membership and grassroots responses to this have been critical, and help to sustain optimism for a left project in South Africa.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): June 1997

Volume: 24

Issue: 72

Pages: 237-248

Affiliations

^a University of New South Wales , Australia

Article

Publisher ID: 8704255 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 24, No. 72, June 1997, pp. 237-248

DOI: 10.1080/03056249708704255

SO-VID: b8fc4edf-c1a2-4d12-8364-d53f69b9ee14

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 36, Pages: 12

Bibliography

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Adams S. . 1996. . “Between the Negotiated and the Unnegotiated Revolution: The ‘Bop’ Uprising and the South African Communist Party. ”. In Socialist History Working Papers, No. 2 . London :
Anon. . 1989. . ‘Three Members Reinstated’. . African Communist . , Vol. 119:
1994. . ‘Strikes, blockades, settlements’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 18((5)): 12––14. .
1995a. . ‘The RDP needs class struggle’. . African Communist . , Vol. 142:: 1––3. .
1995b. . ‘Consolidating our strategic unity — the SACP's 9th Congress’. . African Communist . , Vol. 141:
1996. . ‘Economic policy ‐ the debate sharpens’. . African Communist . , Vol. 144:
Callinicos A. . 1996. . ‘South Africa after apartheid’. . International Socialism . , Vol. 70:
Collins D. . 1995. . ‘The SACP: Is the Party over?’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 19((2))
Cronin J. . 1991. . ‘Is the SACP travelling in the right direction?’. . Work in Progress . , Vol. 74:: 25––28. .
1992a. . ‘The Boat, the Tap and the Leipzig Way’. . African Communist . , Vol. 130:
1994a. . ‘Bolshevism and socialist transition’. . African Communist . , Vol. 136:
1994b. . ‘South Africa's Transition: A Mass‐Driven Transformation’. . Links: International Journal of Socialist Renewal . , Vol. 2: July‐September;
Davies R. . 1991. . ‘Rethinking Socialist Economics for South Africa’. . African Communist . ,
Dexter P. . 1996. . ‘Job creation ‐ the role of the public sector’. . African Communist . , Vol. 144:
Erwin A. . 1996. . ‘Engaging with the global economy: Interview with Alec Erwin’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 20((3)): 18––27. .
Gwagwa T and Webber J. . 1995. . ‘Striking Nurses: Trapped in Frustration’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 19((6)): 79––82. .
Habib A and Andrews M. . 1990. . ‘Disinheriting the Heritage of Stalinism’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 15:: 3
Harris L. . 1993. . ‘South Africa's Economic and Social Transformation: From No Middle Road to No Alternative’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 57:: 91––102. .
Cronin J. . 1992b. . quote from J Cronin, ‘Dreaming of the final showdown: A reply to Jordan and Nzimande’. . African Communist . , Vol. 131:
Hirson B. . 1990. . ‘Socialism ‐ Has it Failed? or Joe Slovo's apologia for Mr Gorbachev’. . Searchlight South Africa . ,
Jordan P. . 1990. . ‘Crisis of Conscience in the SACP’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 15((3))
Forrest K. . 1996. . ‘The nurses’ strike: product of a messy bargaining process’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 20((1)): 56––58. .
Kotane M. . 1956. . “Letter to B. Bunting, 31/3/ 56. ”. Brian Bunting Collection, Mayibuye Centre. .
Laurence P. . 1992. . “‘South African Communist Party Strategy Since February 1990’. ”. In South African Review 6: From ‘Red Friday’ to Codesa . Edited by: Moss G and Obery I. . Johannesburg :
Lodge T. . 1992. . ‘Post‐modern Bolsheviks ‐ SA communists in transition’. . South Africa International . , April;
Mtshelwane Z. . 1994. . ‘"Struggle as Usual” in the New South Africa’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 18((3)): 6––10. .
Murray M. . 1994. . The Revolution Deferred: The Painful Birth of Post‐Apartheid South Africa . New York :
Padayachee V. . ‘Debt, Development and Democracy: The IMF in Post‐apartheid South Africa’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 62:585––597. .
Podbrey P. . 1993. . White Girl in Search of the Party . Pietermaritzburg :
SACP. . 1994. . ‘The present political situation’. . African Communist . , Vol. 137:
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Saul J. . 1992. . ‘Structural Reform: A Model for the Revolutionary Transformation of South Africa?’. . Transformation . , Vol. 20:: 1––16. .
S Shilowa ( 1996 ), Speech at SACP 75th Anniversary Rally , Cape Town , 28 July 1996 (official transcript).
Slovo J. . 1990. . Has Socialism Failed? . Johannesburg :
Toussaint and Bernstein Rusty. . 1987. . Seventy Years of Workers’ Power .

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Adam H. . 1990. . “‘Eastern Europe and South African Socialism: Engaging Joe Slovo’. ”. Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa. .

[2] Adams S. . 1996. . “Between the Negotiated and the Unnegotiated Revolution: The ‘Bop’ Uprising and the South African Communist Party. ”. In Socialist History Working Papers, No. 2 . London :

[3] Anon. . 1989. . ‘Three Members Reinstated’. . African Communist . , Vol. 119:

[4] 1994. . ‘Strikes, blockades, settlements’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 18((5)): 12––14. .

[5] 1995a. . ‘The RDP needs class struggle’. . African Communist . , Vol. 142:: 1––3. .

[6] 1995b. . ‘Consolidating our strategic unity — the SACP's 9th Congress’. . African Communist . , Vol. 141:

[7] 1996. . ‘Economic policy ‐ the debate sharpens’. . African Communist . , Vol. 144:

[8] Callinicos A. . 1996. . ‘South Africa after apartheid’. . International Socialism . , Vol. 70:

[9] Collins D. . 1995. . ‘The SACP: Is the Party over?’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 19((2))

[10] Cronin J. . 1991. . ‘Is the SACP travelling in the right direction?’. . Work in Progress . , Vol. 74:: 25––28. .

[11] 1992a. . ‘The Boat, the Tap and the Leipzig Way’. . African Communist . , Vol. 130:

[12] 1994a. . ‘Bolshevism and socialist transition’. . African Communist . , Vol. 136:

[13] 1994b. . ‘South Africa's Transition: A Mass‐Driven Transformation’. . Links: International Journal of Socialist Renewal . , Vol. 2: July‐September;

[14] Davies R. . 1991. . ‘Rethinking Socialist Economics for South Africa’. . African Communist . ,

[15] Dexter P. . 1996. . ‘Job creation ‐ the role of the public sector’. . African Communist . , Vol. 144:

[16] Erwin A. . 1996. . ‘Engaging with the global economy: Interview with Alec Erwin’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 20((3)): 18––27. .

[17] Gwagwa T and Webber J. . 1995. . ‘Striking Nurses: Trapped in Frustration’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 19((6)): 79––82. .

[18] Habib A and Andrews M. . 1990. . ‘Disinheriting the Heritage of Stalinism’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 15:: 3

[19] Harris L. . 1993. . ‘South Africa's Economic and Social Transformation: From No Middle Road to No Alternative’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 57:: 91––102. .

[20] Cronin J. . 1992b. . quote from J Cronin, ‘Dreaming of the final showdown: A reply to Jordan and Nzimande’. . African Communist . , Vol. 131:

[21] Hirson B. . 1990. . ‘Socialism ‐ Has it Failed? or Joe Slovo's apologia for Mr Gorbachev’. . Searchlight South Africa . ,

[22] Jordan P. . 1990. . ‘Crisis of Conscience in the SACP’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 15((3))

[23] Forrest K. . 1996. . ‘The nurses’ strike: product of a messy bargaining process’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 20((1)): 56––58. .

[24] Kotane M. . 1956. . “Letter to B. Bunting, 31/3/ 56. ”. Brian Bunting Collection, Mayibuye Centre. .

[25] Laurence P. . 1992. . “‘South African Communist Party Strategy Since February 1990’. ”. In South African Review 6: From ‘Red Friday’ to Codesa . Edited by: Moss G and Obery I. . Johannesburg :

[26] Lodge T. . 1992. . ‘Post‐modern Bolsheviks ‐ SA communists in transition’. . South Africa International . , April;

[27] Mtshelwane Z. . 1994. . ‘"Struggle as Usual” in the New South Africa’. . South African Labour Bulletin . , Vol. 18((3)): 6––10. .

[28] Murray M. . 1994. . The Revolution Deferred: The Painful Birth of Post‐Apartheid South Africa . New York :

[29] Padayachee V. . ‘Debt, Development and Democracy: The IMF in Post‐apartheid South Africa’. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 62:585––597. .

[30] Podbrey P. . 1993. . White Girl in Search of the Party . Pietermaritzburg :

[31] SACP. . 1994. . ‘The present political situation’. . African Communist . , Vol. 137:

[32] 6–8 April 1995. 1995 . Ninth Congress General Secretary's Political Report . 6–8 April 1995. , Johannesburg :

[33] Saul J. . 1992. . ‘Structural Reform: A Model for the Revolutionary Transformation of South Africa?’. . Transformation . , Vol. 20:: 1––16. .

[34] S Shilowa ( 1996 ), Speech at SACP 75th Anniversary Rally , Cape Town , 28 July 1996 (official transcript).

[35] Slovo J. . 1990. . Has Socialism Failed? . Johannesburg :

[36] Toussaint and Bernstein Rusty. . 1987. . Seventy Years of Workers’ Power .