African peasants and revolution

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Abstract
Are peasants like a ‘sack of potatoes’, divided and demoralised, or can they become a revolutionary force? While most of the world's oppressed are peasants and their discontent generates the ‘steam of revolution’, a ‘piston box’ is needed to transform it into power. This may be provided either by forms of extraordinary and direct oppression or by organisation and political leadership. In practice it will almost always require both. John Saul examines the range of peasantries in Africa and, using the contrasting experiences of Mozambique and Tanzania, discusses the methods and circumstances which may transform peasantries into the mass base of revolutions.

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