AUTHOR'S NOTE

SINCE THE publication of the first edition of Consciencism in 1964, the African Revolution has decisively entered a new phase, the phase of armed struggle. In part of our continent, African revolutionaries are either preparing for struggle, or are actively engaged in military against the forces of reaction and counter-revolution. The issues are now clearer . succession of military coups which have in rt:cent years taken place in Africa, have exposed the close links between the interests of neo-colonialism and the indigenous bourgeoisie. coups have brought into sharp relief the nature and the extent of the class struggle in Nrica. Foreign monopoly capitalists are in close association with local reactionaries, and have made nse of officers among the armed forces in order to frustrate the purposes of the African Revolution. It is in consideration of the new situation in Africa that some changes have become necessary in this edition. They occur principally in Chapter Three. August 15, 1969 Conakry reproduction Marx nor I have ever asserted. twists this into that the economic element is the only determining one, transforms that prointo a meaningless, abstract, senseless phrase.... Marx and I are ourselves partly to blame the fact that the yotmger people sometimes lay more stress on economic side than is due to it. We had to emphasize the main principle vis-a-vis our adversaries, who denied it, and we had not always the time, the place or the opportunity to allow the other elements involved in the interaction to come into their rights. But when it was a case of presenting a section of history, that is, of a practical application, it was a different matter and there no error was possible. Unfortunately, however, it happens only too often that people think they have fully understood a new theory and can apply it without more ado from the moment they have mastered its main principles, and even those not always correctly. And I cannot exempt many ofthe more recent 'Marxists' fron1 this reproach, for the most amazing rubbish has been produced in this quarter, too.-Letter from Engels to J. Bloch, London, 21-22 September 1890 INTRODUCTION

THE LINES of the partition of Africa education ofthe colonized Africans. Students from Englishspeaking territories went to Britain as a matter of course, just as those from French-speaking went to France as a matter of course. In this way, the yearning for formal education, African students conld only satisfy at great cost of effort,