Southwest African Peoples Organization (SWAPO) and Political Economy of Namibia: An Analysis of the Tactics and Strategies of an African Liberation Movement

• Main Author: Jaiyesinmi, Hakeem Adekunle
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 1976
• Subjects: Political Science
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/3398; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4917&context=dissertations

This thesis is concerned with the process by which South West African Peoples Organization (SWAPO) is con-ducting the struggle for the liberation of Namibia. The purpose is to determine what type of liberation SWAPO may possibly bring to Namibia. The problem of this study arose out of concern for what has come to characterize African countries presently, namely : nominal independence without overall social transformation. SWAPO is the African Liberation movement in Namibia . Namibia is legally an international territory which South Africa is holding on to like a colonial power in defiance of the United Nations and many other international opinions. International Capitalists Investments are largely involved in exploiting both the natural and human resources of the territory . Given that the interests of South Africa and her international capitalist allies are diametrically opposite of the interests of the Namibians, it is how the realization of these conflicting interests manifest themselves in the strategies and tactics of SWAPO in con-ducting the struggle for the liberation of Namibia that constitute the central concern of this study. I Materials for this study were collected from the already published works on Namibia as well as primary sources like newspapers, magazines, periodicals and SWAPO publications. The conclusion of this study shows that SWAPO is an organization with neither a clear-cut ideological position nor a comprehensive and discernible alternative economic program for the territory. The political programs are designed more to minimize western capitalists oppositions to the organization than to address the reality of the Namibian situation. In effect, it is concluded that as of now, it is conceivable that SWAPO might succeed in bringing independence to Namibia, but that would be it, nominal independence without complete social transformation .