The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers

by George Padmore

Originally published in London in 1931 by the R.I.L.U. (Red International of Labour Unions) Magazine for the International Trade Union Committee of Negro Workers, this publication had three "To briefly set forth some of the conditions of life of the Negro workers and peasants in different parts of the world; to enumerate some of the struggles which they have attempted to wage in order to free themselves from the yoke of imperialism; and, to indicate in a general way the tasks of the proletariat in the advanced countries so that the millions of black toilers might be better prepared to carry on the struggles against their white imperialist oppressors and native (race) exploiters, and join forces with their white brothers against the common enemy-World Capitalism."

Genres: Africa, Labor, Race, History, Politics

128 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 1985

Reviews

[Born Uhuru · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was originally published in 1931. George Padmore informs us on the subject of worker exploitation and brutality of "western imperialism" via European gunboat diplomacy against African peoples of the world. He highlights many examples of this corruptive policy throughout Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean Islands from the early 20th century. George Padmore says something very dangerous in the search of the liberation theory of African people.

"The Soviet Union is the only country that knows no oppression , knows no exploitation, has no imperialist aims and supports the revolutionary liberation movements of the workers and toiling peasants of all countries as well as the emancipatory struggles of the Negro toiling masses for self-determination."

African people cannot concentrate on the efforts of class struggles until we actually remove the global identity of white supremacy from all borders of African minds and land. We cannot serve a different master in hopes of worker solidarity.
We must be able to define our own relationships of humanity without the objective of creating more materialistic values.

It’s funny how he ends the book speaking down on Marcus Garvey and Garveyism but doesn’t answer to the call that Marcus Garvey announced. Africa for Africans at home and abroad, one god, one aim, one destiny or the call for self reliance. Marcus Garvey suggest staying away from communist and I see why. Walter Rodney had more of a clear answer to this.


Overall the book is worth reading. I have to check out his other title Pan Africanism or Communism and see if his opinion has changed.

[Far Ahmed]

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