The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution

<p>The paper tries to address the armed struggle as one of the pillars of the South African revolution, especially its adoption, together with the underground component, after all other avenues had been restricted. The argument emphasises the centrality of the political struggle, particularly...

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Main Author: Gcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: Stellenbosch University 2012-02-01
Series:Scientia Militaria
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/180
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author Gcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela
author_facet Gcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela
author_sort Gcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela
collection DOAJ
description <p>The paper tries to address the armed struggle as one of the pillars of the South African revolution, especially its adoption, together with the underground component, after all other avenues had been restricted. The argument emphasises the centrality of the political struggle, particularly the other two pillars of the revolution: mass mobilisation and international isolation of the racist government. The armed struggle and the underground are regarded as extension pillars necessitated by objective conditions, which demanded the ANC to reveal its existence through other means, since it was banned as a legal political force internally. This argument is stressed by looking at the nature of the adoption of the armed struggle, its heuristic evolution, from armed propaganda until the late 1970s, and particularly the 1980s, when there was more focus on revolutionary people's war, its protracted nature, the role and structure of the people's army, and the armed seizure of political power through insurrection. Thereafter the paper discusses the debate that emerged with the realisation that there were possibilities of a negotiated settlement, the subsequent contest between absolute and relative victories, and the preparation of the cadres for integration into the new SANDF. The paper concludes with the need to revisit the Integration Process, especially the need to re-orient the uniformed members' political attitudes towards a common cause.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-ca5cef44f9094947b2322e34719e0c332022-12-22T00:29:08ZafrStellenbosch UniversityScientia Militaria2224-00202012-02-0130210.5787/30-2-180The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African RevolutionGcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela<p>The paper tries to address the armed struggle as one of the pillars of the South African revolution, especially its adoption, together with the underground component, after all other avenues had been restricted. The argument emphasises the centrality of the political struggle, particularly the other two pillars of the revolution: mass mobilisation and international isolation of the racist government. The armed struggle and the underground are regarded as extension pillars necessitated by objective conditions, which demanded the ANC to reveal its existence through other means, since it was banned as a legal political force internally. This argument is stressed by looking at the nature of the adoption of the armed struggle, its heuristic evolution, from armed propaganda until the late 1970s, and particularly the 1980s, when there was more focus on revolutionary people's war, its protracted nature, the role and structure of the people's army, and the armed seizure of political power through insurrection. Thereafter the paper discusses the debate that emerged with the realisation that there were possibilities of a negotiated settlement, the subsequent contest between absolute and relative victories, and the preparation of the cadres for integration into the new SANDF. The paper concludes with the need to revisit the Integration Process, especially the need to re-orient the uniformed members' political attitudes towards a common cause.</p>http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/180the armed strugglepolitical struggleANCmass mobilisation and international isolation of the racist governmentSANDFThe Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Strugglerevolutionary people's war
spellingShingle Gcwelumusa Chrysostomus Khwela
The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
Scientia Militaria
the armed struggle
political struggle
ANC
mass mobilisation and international isolation of the racist government
SANDF
The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle
revolutionary people's war
title The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
title_full The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
title_fullStr The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
title_full_unstemmed The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
title_short The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle: A Dependent Pillar of the South African Revolution
title_sort clausewitzian and heuristic evolution of the anc s armed struggle a dependent pillar of the south african revolution
topic the armed struggle
political struggle
ANC
mass mobilisation and international isolation of the racist government
SANDF
The Clausewitzian and Heuristic Evolution of the ANC' s Armed Struggle
revolutionary people's war
url http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/180
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