Classless society and one-party state ideology in Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Classless society and one-party state ideology in Africa
Author:	Neuberger, B.
Year:	1971
Periodical:	African Studies Review
Volume:	14
Issue:	2
Pages:	287-292
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	one-party systems social classes
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/523828
Abstract:	Explores the theory which relates the one-party state ideology to the class conditions prevalent in African societies. Defending the one-party system on the Marxist ground that political parties are part of the political-social superstructure which articulates basic economic class interests, many African leaders argue that there are no distinct economic classes in Africa and that therefore there is no justification for the existence of more than one party. An analysis of economic and social data suggests that the thesis of a classless past and present in African societies is doubtful. In theory and practice it seems more convincing that the one-party state is necessary to secure the survival of the state because of ethnic heterogeneity than that the multiparty state is superfluous because of class homogeneity. Ref.