Marxist-Leninist revolutionary development in Benin (1975-1985): an evaluation of philosophical adaptation

• Main Author: Ndipnchot, Robert E
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 1987
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/3765; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5288&context=dissertations

The capitalist-imperialist system dominates the world and promotes exploitation, inequality and conflicts. This situation is aggravated in poor colonial countries where there is desire for social change and development. The dominated and exploited peoples are forced by necessity of self-determination to challenge the status quo. The solution to the problems of capitalism-imperialism lies in the Marxist-Leninist (socialist) revolution. In 1975, some Beninese revolutionary leaders launched a "revolution" in Benin. The purpose of this research was to determine whether the Beninese revolution is Marxist-Leninist. The methodology of this research is historical materialism; the hypothesis is that the Beninese revolution is Marxist-Leninist. The research concludes that the Beninese revolution is theoretically Marxist-Leninist but not yet socialist in practice. The social revolution in Berlin is striving for socialism through social reorganization and development. But so far, it has only made Benin a mixed economy with private and public property as well as capitalist-imperialist involvement. The Beninese effort has, however, confirmed Marxism-Leninism and further contributed to revolutionary theory by proving that a coup d'etat/military regime can be transformed into a revolutionary vanguard to lead a social revolution. The major limitations of the Beninese revolution are the lack of "will," capital and technological capacities to undertake economic development. These handicaps reduce the effectiveness of the revolution and leave Benin vulnerable to the control of international finance-industrial capital that may jeopardize the country's revolutionary effort. But with commitment to the revolution and immediate action taken to develop capital and technological capacities, the revolution may become socialist. There is, thus, a need for further research on how the revolutionary government of Benin is trying to overcome the handicaps of the revolution.