In 2017, I penned a piece titled; Is the Left losing an ideological debate? In this piece, In observed that the consciousness of the masses in South Africa is not properly laid out for the attainment of socialism. Given the current discourse, as well as political developments in the country and the world, I now argue that the readiness of South Africans to accept socialism as a noble economic system is at its lowest currently. If a Leftist or socialist political party were to govern South Africa currently, it would be kicked away by the masses at the first attempt of introducing Leftist programmes.
Below I will attempt to interrogate some of the reasons for the Left to have lost an ideological battle to the neo-liberal and imperialist agenda;
1. Literal abandonment of the National Democratic Revolution by the ANC-SACP-Alliance
- In addition to holding political and policy stances which are often confrontational to each organization, the leadership of the Alliance partner have also forgotten the insistence of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). If one searches for the speeches of leaders of the Alliance partners, it is not easy to come across narration around the NDR, or any leftist agenda.
- The abandonment of the NDR has left the Alliance without a political programme which will unite them, and set them in direct confrontation with a common enemy. This political dizziness has often found some leaders of the Alliance sharing platforms with mouthpieces of the enemy of the NDR; white monopoly capital.
2. Failure in canvassing of society behind socialism