The concept 'people's war' in the strategy of the ANC and the PAC : a comparative analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is provide a comparative analysis of the concept people's war as it manifest itself in the strategies of the ANC and the PAC. The concept people's war within the framework of this thesis is seen as a product and manifestation of revolution as a twentieth century phenomenon. This specific approach forced one to evaluate revolution within its historical and philosophical context as a twentieth century phenomenon in chapter two. Accordingly a variety of theories and approaches were identified that have had a direct bearing on the revolutionary thought in the Third World in the twentieth century. As a result it was necessary to briefly discuss revolutionary warfare models. Chapter three serves as the pivot of the study in that it is in this chapter where the four components that constitute a people's war were developed. According to available research material this is the first theoretical framework ever developed according to which it may be determined whether a revolution constitutes a people's war revolution or not. The four component of the concept people's war namely: nationalism, the revolutionary party, the people's army and the united front therefore serve as the basis according to which the strategies of the ANC and the PAC are compared. The presence of the concept people's war in the strategies of the ANC and the PAC were as a result compared in chapters four, five and six. It is the conclusion of this thesis that both the ANC and the PAC adhere to the requirements of the concept people's war in their respective strategies. It is furthermore suggested that the ANC has been the most successful in translating its revolutionary effort into a people's war. The PAC however, commands the most appropriate theoretical approach towards a people's war but fails to effectively implement it in practice. The results and conclusions of the aforementioned chapters are brought together in the final chapter. These conclusions however emphasised the necessity to develop possible guidelines for a counter-revolutionary strategy in South Africa. Specific guidelines for a counter-revolutionary strategy based on liberalism was as a result identified in the concluding section of this chapter.