Freedom Charter Interpretations
Communist interpretation
The Marxist supporters of the freedom charter saw it as a charter that supported the class struggle against the deep inequalities in South Africa, both racial, social and economic.
Liberal Interpretation
Liberals, depicted the Charter as a typical communist ploy aimed at discreetly achieving influence though a popular front with carefully orchestrated demonstrations
SACP interpretation
Viewed it as a class struggle, and aimed at eliminating/overthrowing white domination
ANC interpretation of Communist Influence on the Freedom Charter
ANC members noticed that many of the thousands of submitted drafts and porposals were in the same hand writing, implying hte possible use of the classic communist technique of detaching the masses from their previous leaders
Charter's battleground for meaning
The Charter's meaning was often a bettled ground for a consensus of the menaing. Often the Charter was condemned as a Marxist document iwthits bold promise "the mineral wealth benath the soil, the baks and monopoly industry shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole
Mandela view: Weleded from the demands of the masses, arising out of theirdialy lives and procaliamed principles rather than policies
Different Ideological viewpoints and their influence on the Freedom Charter Developments
Early Tensions between Marxists and Christian Leadership
Early Phase of Marxist Tension: Marxist speakers participating in the 1953 ANC conference expressed their views and who saw the struggle in class terms
Early Christain Tensions: Contrastingly Christian approach expressed by President Luthuli created tension between Marxist views, where Luthuli refers to the "urge and yearning for freedom spring from a divine discontent"
Christian Ideology
Mandela welcomed communists to his cause and stopped believing that they were against the church; took a more accepting stance towards communists to increase unity
Liberal Ideology and Opposition
While he had some friends there, Mandela saw the liberal party as being the European ruling class and being unconcerned with equal racial justice.
The Liberal party and liberalists were hostile towards the communist government and describe a "Fundamental incompatibility" between the Marxist and liberal parties
Nationalist Viewpoint
Increase in tensions between the nationalists of the African congress and member of Sisulu, as they expressed the discontent with the collaboration of other races
Majority of Delegates found and were convinced that cooperation as well as increasing/ broadening African Nationalism they could gain more support.
Need for cooperation and broadening of African Nationalism in the Freedom Charter is expressed by president Luthuli on pg. 89
Nationalist and Socialist Tensions
Mandela viewed the liberal part as European ruling class, and attacked their insistence on democratic and constitutional means, and their lack of support for one, adult one vote
Liberal Response: Liberals attacked Mandela's statement and stated that he served only to draw the battel lines between the liberals and the new congressites
Liberals were then convinced they were being lured into a "popular front' whose decisions were taken in advance by communist elements and therefore withdrew from the congress