Why Pan-Africanism considered as a sort of xenophobia?

[Black Panther]

The ideology of Pan-African movement was based on the solidarity of the African people worldwide. Hundreds years of slavery, racism against blacks, low level of economic and social progress in African countries – all these factors pushed Africa and African people all around the world to unify.
But now we have the new chapter of information war that never ends in the USA. Any Pan-African ideas and movements are considered as racist/nationalist/xenophobic. Black Panther movement was called racist in 70s, Ne Black Panthers are called so today. If you show the Pan-African flag in the street, you’re an extremist. But if you’re defending your right to see the Confederate flag on the state building with a Third Reich flag and Nazi insignia, that’s okay, you’re just defending your Southern white pride.

[Counterculturalist]

I don't know enough about pan-Africanism to comment generally about the topic, but I do know that the New Black Panthers are thoroughly reactionary and viciously antisemitic and have nothing whatsoever in common with the original panthers.

[Comrade Jacob]

Africa is an oppressed continent. European-nationalism is simply reactionary.

[Guardia Rossa]

Nationalism is inherently reactionary today.
Please, let's end with this "Progressive Nationalism" bullshit.

But, I can't have a unbiased opinion on pan-africanism.

[Faust Arp]

I wouldn't make such sweeping statements - look at the Kurds, for example.

[#FF0000]

I wouldn't make such sweeping statements - look at the Kurds, for example.

I don't see why the Kurds would be an example of "progressive nationalism", honestly.

[StromboliFucker666]

The new black panthers are reactionary, though. The original ones were just standing up against oppression but the "new black panthers" are just reactionaries trying to live off the heroism of the original black panther movement.

As for pan africanism, I don't really know enough about it but I am *generally* skeptical of nationalism in all it's forms.

[willowtooth]

The ideology of Pan-African movement was based on the solidarity of the African people worldwide. Hundreds years of slavery, racism against blacks, low level of economic and social progress in African countries – all these factors pushed Africa and African people all around the world to unify. when exactly do you think the pan-african movement was "founded"? I don't think you know what the term means

But now we have the new chapter of information war that never ends in the USA. Any Pan-African ideas and movements are considered as racist/nationalist/xenophobic.who considers pan-africanism as racist?? the african union is a pan african organization. Who calls them racists?
Black Panther movement was called racist in 70s, Ne Black Panthers are called so today. the original black panthers are the ones who call the nbpp racists, they are more of radical muslim group than a black rights group. Bobby seale even called them racists
If you show the Pan-African flag in the street, you’re an extremist. according to who? most people wouldn't recognize that flag if they saw it on the street, most would think its a flag from a country they can't even find on a map.


But if you’re defending your right to see the Confederate flag on the state building with a Third Reich flag and Nazi insignia, that’s okay, you’re just defending your Southern white pride.everyone can recognize the nazi and confederate flags as symbols of white supremacist armies

[Faust Arp]

I don't see why the Kurds would be an example of "progressive nationalism", honestly.

Why so? They seem like a fairly textbook example to me.

[The Intransigent Faction]

Africa is an oppressed continent. European-nationalism is simply reactionary.

I think I understand what you're saying, but it might need some elaboration. Many Africans suffer particularly egregiously from the worst effects of capitalism due to the nature of Africa's economic relationship with the United States, for example. A self-described pan-African nationalist once told me "I think socialism would be good for Africa".

However, there are undoubtedly reactionary nationalists within Africa whose nationalism is a consequence of the embracing of divisions created by European colonialism. Hutu nationalism is one infamous example.

Yoweri Museveni and Jacob Zuma aren't exactly champions of the African proletariat, either.

In short, Africans in each state on the continent being doubly oppressed by international capital and 'their own' bourgeoisie does not make 'their own' bourgeoisie less reactionary. That may be a fairly predictable "ultra-leftist" answer, but it is important to remember that if exploitation is intensified in another part of the world, and if capitalism in Africa is inexorably tied to its legacy of colonial subjugation, that does not merit treating states in that part of the world as uniform entities where no exploitation would otherwise take place internally.

There are perhaps states where workers would see the most dramatic tangible benefits from socialist revolution (which would have to be global and involve European and American workers, as well) in terms of living standards. Yet there are also people within 'imperialist states' for whom an end to capitalism is just as desperately needed in measurable and less measurable but still tangible terms. In both cases, simply telling people whose national identities, or whose families' national identities, were formed in a context of anti-colonial struggle that they need to consider those identities as at best secondary to internationalism or at worst irrelevant probably won't get much of a positive response today. Insofar as the connection between racism and capitalism is understood, though, an international anti-capitalist movement could be built. In that respect, a pan-African movement which seeks to raise voices that were historically ignored should be approached in the way that feminism is approached. Let ideologically-bourgeois aspects or bourgeois factions be critiqued. Emphasize that empowerment must be inclusive, because "Freedom is merely privilege extended unless enjoyed by one and all". Socialism is no more possible with racism than with sexism, so insofar as pan-Africanism is an anti-racist movement, specific struggles of which can be integrated into an anti-capitalist movement, it should not be opposed. If it is merely about building an independent but capitalist Africa and carries other divisions or prejudices within itself, that certainly deserves criticism.

While nationalism is not progressive, pan-Africanism seems to ideologically overcome nationalist divisions at least between communities from or within Africa on the basis of a common struggle. My knowledge of the contemporary Black Panthers is admittedly lacking. It's one thing if we're dealing with an outright reactionary organization, but if pan-Africanism is ever ideologically dismissed as xenophobic by white people in the American south on the basis of "reverse racism", my privilege detector goes off.