PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS OF KWAME NKRUMAH .pdf

Philosophical Ideas of Kwame Nkrumah
Explore the life and thought of Ghana’s first president and Pan-African icon. This presentation traces Nkrumah’s journey from his early years and political rise to his bold philosophies on African socialism, single-party democracy, and continental unity. Learn how he envisioned a classless, human-centered society, why he believed independence was only meaningful when tied to the liberation of all Africa, and how his ideas still spark debate on governance and development today.

1. PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS OF
NKRUMAH
Mr. DeniceRwechungura.
HFGSS
[phone]

2. Background of Nkrumah
KwameNkrumah lived between 1909 –1972.
He was born in Gold Coast (Ghana) among
Nzimaethnic group.
He studied and worked in the United State of
America and Britain.
He returned home by 1947 and from there he
became a significant figure in Pan African
movements.

3. After returning, home he became a General Secretary of
new established party called United Gold Coast Convention
(UGCC) but he broke away by 1949 to form his own party
which was called Convection People Party (CPP).
The Party became the leading nationalist party in the
territory but following the success in the 1951 elections he
became leader of government business and ultimately a
prime minister even after 1957 independence.
He became the first president of Ghana after constitutional
changes in 1960.
He was overthrown in 1966 and was exiled in Guinea where
he was honorably named the co-president of Guinea.

4. Why was Nkrumah overthrown.
Constitutional amendments of 1964 declared
Ghana a monopartystate and Nkrumah was
named a life president of both the nation and
party.
He repressed political opposition by
imprisoning, killing and exiling people who
were opposing him.
Elections were unfair.

5. Philosophical ideas of KwameNkrumah on
socialism, democracy and African Unity
KwameNkrumah as early African intellectual
and Pan –African leader wrote and
developed various ideas on socialism,
democracy and African unity. His stand
mainly depended on the situation which was
prevailing in his time and anticipation of
future in his country and Africa continent at
large.

6. Nkrumah ideas on socialism
He believed socialism to be the best
philosophy to govern his country for future
betterment and development. Nkrumah
learnt from socialist nation of the world such
as Russia, Cuba, North Korea and China that
development they had attained was due to
socialism which fought with classes in the
society.

7. He discouraged private ownership of
property. Various investments such as
banking, insurance, industry, whole sales
companies, just to mention a few were
nationalized and kept under state control. By
allowing private investment and ownership
we could motivate continuation of capitalism
as it was during colonialism.

8. KwameNkrumah established Towa
Development Committee (TDC) strategy. This
strategy developed under local government
administration to develop country side (rural
areas).It was strategy formed and empowered to
govern the villages through communal labour.
People were required to attend once a week to
the communal labouri.e. in agriculture,
sanitation activities and so forth. Failure to
attend communal labourwas met with full rigors
of the law. Towa Development Committee made
a profound development in rural areas of the
Gold Coast (Ghana).

9. Nkrumah developed ideological institute to
teach his ideology of communism. This could
make the government officials and youth to
grasp ideas of socialism and communism and
practice it in their offices for national
development, because through socialism
there would be equitable distribution of
resources among of the people and a full
address of classes among Ghanaians.

10. KwameNkrumah also came with concept of
socialism basing on African socialism that Africa
as the continent had a peculiar socialism. To him
socialism which could be introduced in his
country and Africa continent as a whole should
be that which will comply with African
environment and should inevitably a humanist in
nature that means he embraced socialism which
could guarantee each man equal opportunities
for his/her development.

11. To Nkrumah an invention of any nature of
technology in modern society was unavoidable.
He thought that even if a national/ society had
been in a modern science and technology or a
modern technical community the leaders in such
society/ nation should remold his society in the
socialist direction. Such direction should
embrace humanism of traditional Africa. He
noted that even before coming of whites in
Africa the society was built under classless which
appreciated the need of people in such society,
thus his philosophy encouraged reintroduction
of such tradition in post –colonial Africa society.

12. Nkrumah’s ideas on democracy
He believed that gaining of independence from
colonial masters by the African countries was a true
democracy.
His democracy also focused on a single party
democracy. To him many parties could alter
development because could not be hindered by
reactionary politician elites in the opposition parties
and traditional chiefs who might compromise with
western imperialist. Thus, he abolished the
operation of many parties such as United Gold Coast
Convention (UGCC) and embraced his party called
Convention People’s Party (CPP).

13. Nkrumah’s ideas on African
unity
Nkrumah was one among Pan –African
leaders who influenced in the social economic
and political development of African
continent. His ideas on African Unity was as
follows;

14. He supported much the Pan African Unity.
After gaining of independence Ghana, he
called upon further liberation of other
countries which were not yet liberated. He
inspired other leaders from other countries.

15. He called upon the formation of African Unity
which would speed the liberation from
colonialism and neo-colonialism through
creating African independence economy.
Through African Unity the sense of belonging
and identity among Africans could be
realized.

16. Furthermore Nkrumah ambition however
focused on Africa as a whole, he was
determined to turn Accra into a center of
Africa liberation to provide a base from which
nationalists leaders from colonial Africa could
draw support and encouragement, he simply
said ….. “Our independence is meaningless
unless it is linked up with the total liberation
of African continent.

17. Why African unity according to
Nkrumah?
Presence of great natural resources, this
could help Africa to be competitive in the
global market.
The wealth of independent states in Africa
were unbalanced, some were stable and
others were facing extreme poverty.
Increasing strength in Africa, Africa could
become strong since strong nations would
help weaker ones.

18. Thank You