The Evolution of African Political Thought and African Unity

Abstract

During the past two decades, the African continent witnessed a series of political and intellectual changes and calls for greater respect for the rights of individuals and peoples; yielded some effects on the levels of economic and social initiatives in the form of unity and integration. On the other hand, abrogating the principle of maintaining the borders inherited from colonialism -for the first time – and the approval of the secession of Southern Sudan from the North, pointed the conflict that has long been discussed by analysts between the principle of maintaining borders inherited and the principles of human rights and self-determination. Thus, it consolidated the international double standards in the application of those principles and the adoption of such a right in favor of the interests of the super powers and their vision. The first intellectual project that was presented to the African scene was the idea of African unity. The idea was originated outside the continent as a tool to confront the other in the Diaspora before to be a tool to cope with the colonizer, the pro-independence, and the unity of the Continent. However, the process was not enhanced because most of African countries decision makers stuck to the rule of the national state since the mid-fifties and early sixties of the twentieth century. Consequently, with the entrenched reality of the national state, national development projects started to emerge, mostly socialist and humanitarian. 2 This article seeks to shed light on the most important intellectual initiatives raised on the African arena in an effort to get rid of the yoke of colonialism and the achievement of the Renaissance, and the share of each of the success, or failure, and the reasons behind that. It tries to discuss the idea of African unity, and stages of development through renaissance and good governance.