Political Ideology And Tanzania’s Foreign Policy Towards Mozambique In Nyerere Era

This study is a critical analysis of Tanzania’s foreign policy in the Nyerere period as a president. In particular, the study is focusing on the role of political ideology in Tanzania’s foreign policy during the Nyerere administration. Political ideology will be defined as the set of related beliefs about political theory and policy. As compared to other determinants, political ideology is not given much credit as a domestic factor influencing foreign policy making of any country. However, there is an enormous connection between political ideology and foreign policy if significant analysis is given due attention. By examining the political ideology of Tanzania from Nyerere’s making this study aims to understand leader’s orientation to certain goals, why certain goals are highly esteemed than others and how these goals influence foreign policy. In the case of Tanzania, human dignity, equality, and African agenda have been the main features of Tanzania foreign policy during the Nyerere administration. This paper argues that the promotion of values like equality, human dignity, democracy and unity was the result of African socialism which later provided a baseline for Tanzania political ideology as constructed by Nyerere after independence with influence to the foreign policy principles. From the historical background of Tanzania experiences from colonial regime, the political ideology was created after independence for better equally society. Tanzania developed a political ideology based on socialism and self-reliance which aimed to have united and independent society in which all members are equal and respected. This political ideology was not only domestic oriented because African socialism desires was to have a classless Africa society therefore political ideology seeks to had a united and independent Africa through which values like human dignity, human rights,equality and freedom are observed, which reflected in Tanzania foreign policy.Nevertheless, this paper investigate the role socially constructed political ideology in Tanzania’s foreign policy and how these foreign policy influenced Mozambique to adopt socialism after Tanzania engagement in Mozambican struggle for independence. Employing a different documentary analysis of the Tanzania’s foreign policy for the 23 years(1961-1984),special focus was given to the foreign policy at that particular time frame. The study also involved analysis various political ideology and foreign policy positions and decisions taken over that and different period of time. The study seeks to first explain the ideological influence toforeign policy and second, leaders/actor’s influence to ideology outcomes. The tools of analysis used in the study included foreign policy documents, newspapers covering foreign policy statements in the periods and speeches made by leaders from both Tanzania and Mozambique.Chapter 1 IntroductionIn this chapter, I will examine a little bit of how Nyerere came to power and involved into the politics of Tanzania but also how Tanzania came into being under Nyerere leadership in Tanzania and Africa history of struggle for independence under the socialist ideology. I am going to explain the role of political ideology as one of domestic factors determining foreign policy of the country. From this spot, I will introduce the context how Tanzania involved in the Organization of African unity and liberation struggles of Southern Africa countries. This will include statement problem, the study’s objectives, the main research questions, justification, the scope of the study which is mainly concern with Tanzania and Mozambique between the period1961-1984 and methodology used in this study.Chapter 2 Literature Review and Theoretical FrameworkThis chapter will look at the literature review involved looking through earlier research and other academic work and getting as much information as the researcher could and systematically searching relevant materials and documents to find out the relationship between political ideology and foreign policy but most how political ideology influence foreign policy of a country. The sources includes but not limited to books, government and non-government documentation, but accepted sources such as paper article on foreign policy and ideology that provide useful hints on the possible scenarios for ideology to influence foreign policy. These literature are all useful since explains ideologies as the root cause of the foreign policy in line with leaders political thinking in the country. All literature, ones on the study time frame and those after proved important in giving a broad range of explanations to the background of foreign policy. To realize my objectives, this study shall be rooted in the theory of social constructivism as explained by different scholars. Social constructivist looks at an interactive model in examining state identity at systemic level and how interaction informs this identity in influencing state interest through foreign policy.Chapter 3 Nyerere Ideology and its influence on Foreign PolicyThis chapter seeks to bring out the historical development of socialism portrayed by Nyerere which originated from the African Socialism; how African society lived before introduction of colonialism in Africa. I will analyze how Nyerere explained African socialism into practice based on pre-colonial communalism which imparted to the continent a unique humanity based classless communal relations and how Nyerere introduced socialist belief into Tanzania’s foreign policy. Therefore Tanzania’s foreign policy during Nyerere administration was the reflection of Nyerere’s thoughts because was the respected founding leader successfully united all Tanzanian, a country with over 120 ethnic tribes into the Swahili speaking nation.Chapter 4 Tanzania Foreign Policy towards MozambiqueIn this chapter, I will analyze the case how and why Tanzania fully engaged on the liberation struggles for independent Mozambique and Mozambique reaction to the socialist Tanzania foreign policy in Nyerere era; on pre and post-independent Mozambique. The involvement of Tanzania to Mozambique traced back to the values of African Socialism Nyerere was advocating; seemed that independent and united Tanzania was not enough if other neighboring countries are not politically independent; for that Tanzania desired for independent and united neighboring countries and Africa in African ways. Tanzania desire to help other countries under colonialism was clearly postulated in foreign policy because it was national interest to witness other neighboring countries attain their independence for the economic, social and political development of particular country and Africa in general. For that this chapter shows how Tanzania’s foreign policy towards Mozambique influenced the newly independent country to adopt same socialism ideology due to the fact that Mozambique political leaders finally got into power with help of Tanzania and Nyerere where they were hosted. It also shows Mozambique responses to Tanzania’s foreign policy.Chapter 5 Evaluation of Mozambique-Tanzania RelationsThis chapter presents how Tanzania influenced Mozambique domestic and foreign affairs in the regionsoon after Mozambique independence during and after Nyerere era, the long termimpacts. But also explains the relationship between Tanzania and Mozambique whereby the relations maintained for economic development of both countries and its people. I will provide historical facts, policies and leaders positions between the two countries to explain thecommitment among the countries with origin from the struggles for independence which put in place political rule under Mozambican. However, chapter shows readiness of leaders to further maintains this historical friendship for their benefits.ConclusionThis paper came to the conclusion that the role of the political leader is important in the construction of ideological goals and the role of constructed political ideology is significant on foreign policy. Nyerere constructed political ideology within Tanzania society, but because he had African agenda Tanzania’s foreign policy reflected same ideology; Mozambique leaders adopted socialism after independence once they get into power because they were trained and got military assistance while in and from Tanzania; they were convinced with Nyerere ideological stands and last the general role Tanzania played during their struggle for independence.Therefore the constructed political ideology in Tanzania influenced its foreign policy which also influenced Mozambique’s political ideology(socialism) in the Nyerere’s era.Having investigated the main influence of Tanzania’s foreign policy during the Nyerere administration, the study has concluded that the foreign policy principles during that time were influenced by the political ideology constructed after independence and during the liberation period.