Book Review

Abstract

Reviewed by: Sulayman S. Nyang, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Government and Public Administration
Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20059
David WESTERLUND, From Socialism to Islam? Notes on Islam as a
Political Factor in Contemporary Africa .R esearch Report No. 61.
(Uppsala, Sweden: Scandinavia Institute of African Studies, 1982),
62pp. Bibliography. No Price.
This short study on Islam and Politics in Africa is one of a series of
studies on Africa published by the well-known Swedish Institute of
African Studies. The Center had previously published some excellent
monographs on a wide range of African issues, but this is the first one on
an Islamic theme. Written from the perspective of a researcher
interested in knowing the future of the relationship between Islam and
Politics in Africa, David Westerlund divides his essay into three parts:
(1) an introduction, (2) a section on the advance of Socialism in Muslimdominated
countries and (3) a section on the move towards Islam.
Westerlund begins his study with a definition of terms and a
clarification of concepts. Two terms, Socialism and Islam, dominate his
discussion. He identifies socialism in North Africa and in Sub-Saharan
Africa as that brand which has not been based on, but rather opposed to,
Marxism or Marxism-Leninism. Though he recognizes certain
differences between “Arab Socialism” and “African Socialism”, in the
context of his discussion he stresses the similarities between them.
Among the common elements shared by these two variants of Socialism
are (1) refutation of the Marxist idea of class struggle, (2) emphasis on a
united front of all classes in the interest of economic developrflent and
nation-building, (3) a preference for a mixed economy as opposed to a
Marxist economy, (4) partial nationalization, central planning and oneparty
rule, and (5) tolerance of private property.
After an examination of the differences between Arab/Islamic
Socialism and African Socialism on the one hand, and Marxism on the
other, Westerlund then discusses the term fundamentalism. He
correctly notes that orthodox, non-secularist Muslims who wish for the ...