Live as African : On the Relevance of Thomas Sankara’s Agenda for Economic Liberation
Media records
Abstract
- Abstract
- en "We must accept to live as African – that is the only way to live free and dignified", said the late Thomas Sankara in his famous 1987 speech at the Organization of African Unity. "Live as African", beyond summarizing Sankara's political and ethical vision, draws an agenda for economic liberation articulated around the ideal of self-sufficiency understood both as freedom from external domination and as capacity to self-determination through reliance first and foremost on one’s own resources. In this article, I argue that this agenda is the only one sustainable both for African peoples and for the Planet once it is realized that peoples from the periphery as a whole will never be able to achieve the same consumption/waste levels as peoples in the center, as global South thinkers Celso Furtado and Samir Amin demonstrated some decades ago. Since then, a growing literature has shown why the Western development “model”, due to its ecological exceptionalism, is simply not reproducible elsewhere and why the promise of economic catch-up is illusory. Building on these findings and on the importance and implications of monetary sovereignty, I will elaborate on the principles of a Sankara-inspired economic model that could deliver a free and dignified life to all.
- fr "Nous devons accepter de vivre africain - c'est la seule façon de vivre libre et digne", avait déclaré feu Thomas Sankara dans son célèbre discours de 1987 à l'Organisation de l'Unité Africaine. "Vivre Africain", au-delà de résumer la vision politique et éthique de Sankara, dessine un agenda de libération économique articulé autour de l'idéal de l'autosuffisance, comprise à la fois comme la liberté vis-à-vis de la domination extérieure et comme la capacité à s'autodéterminer en comptant d'abord et avant tout sur ses propres ressources. Dans cet article, je soutiens que cet agenda est le seul qui soit durable à la fois pour les peuples africains et pour la planète, une fois que l'on a réalisé que les peuples de la périphérie pris collectivement ne seront jamais capables d'atteindre les mêmes niveaux de consommation/gaspillage que les peuples du centre, comme les penseurs du Sud global Celso Furtado et Samir Amin l'ont démontré il y a quelques décennies. Depuis lors, une littérature croissante a montré pourquoi le "modèle" de développement occidental, en raison de son exceptionnalisme écologique, n'est tout simplement pas reproductible ailleurs et pourquoi la promesse d'un rattrapage économique est illusoire. Partant de ces résultats et de l'importance et des implications de la souveraineté monétaire, je vais esquisser les principes d'un modèle économique inspiré de Sankara qui pourrait offrir à tous une vie libre et digne.
Subjects
People & roles
- Place of publication
- Bayreuth
Origins & context
- Title
- Live as African : On the Relevance of Thomas Sankara’s Agenda for Economic Liberation
- Publication type
- Working paper
- Language
- English
- Publisher
- Institute of African Studies
- Series
-
Africa Multiple connects
Value Annotations
Value Annotations
- volume
- 5
- Date
- December 7, 2022
- Number in series
- 33
- pages
- VII, 19
- Number of pages
- 19
Identifiers & sources
Full text
- Full text
- 33 University of Bayreuth African Studies WORKING PAPERS Live as African On the Relevance of Thomas Sankara‘s Agenda for Economic Liberation Ndongo Samba Sylla, 2022 33 University of Bayreuth African Studies WORKING PAPERS Live as African On the Relevance of Thomas Sankara’s Agenda for Economic Liberation Ndongo Samba Sylla, 2022 CC BY 4.0 Live as African iii University of Bayreuth African Studies Working Papers (XXXIII) Institute of African Studies (IAS) The University of Bayreuth African Studies Working Papers are published by the Institute of African Studies (IAS) in Bayreuth, Germany. The IAS promotes African Studies at the University of Bayreuth by supporting scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines from almost all faculties. It facilitates cooperation between researchers and institutions engaged in Africa-related projects, as well as teaching, both on campus and around the world. The IAS consists of three central bodies: the Iwalewahaus, the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence, and the Africa Research Center (Forschungszentrum Afrika), which is currently under construction. The Working Papers give scholars the space to present empirical studies, theoretical reflections, and report preliminary findings, ongoing projects, and current research. The Working Papers usually reflect works-in-progress and invite discussion and feedback. Submitted papers are subject to internal review at the University of Bayreuth. Contributions may be submitted to the editor-in-chief: Dr. Jane Ayeko-Kümmeth (IAS@uni-bayreuth.de) The University of Bayreuth African Studies Working Papers feature on the EPub document server at the university library: 2005 - 2018 https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/view/series/Bayreuth_African_Studies_Working_Papers.html 2018 - ongoing https://epub.uni- bayreuth.de/view/series/University_of_Bayreuth_African_Studies_Working_Papers.html Institute of African Studies Director: Prof. Dr. Eva Spies Vice-Director: Prof. Dr. Thoko Kaime… Read the full text about 9,605 words
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