Results of a 2014 investigation into his death are
here.
Interestingly, considering the ground we have been covering,
Walter Rodney wrote his dissertation on the slave trade on the Upper Guinea Coast and '
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (download file)' was published in 1972. I have not read either as I write but I'll have a look over the latter. The former was "widely acclaimed for its originality in challenging the conventional wisdom on the topic"; the latter "groundbreaking" posing that European imperialists had deliberately underdeveloped the continent.
"... an overall view of ancient African civilisation and ancient African cultures is required to expunge the myths about the African past, which linger in the mind of Black people everywhere. This is the main revolutionary function of African History in our hemisphere."
"Every African has a responsibility to understand the system and work towards it's overthrow." - Walter Rodney in How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.
"If there is to be any proving of our humanity it must be by revolutionary means".
He was
banned from Jamaica because of his advocacy for the working poor. The Americans were behind that too as they were engaged in a "full-scale repression of a Black Power insurgency at home", which included programmes of false imprisonment and even murder.
"
Recognized as one of the Caribbean’s most brilliant minds", I can see why the Beakies would avoid him like the plague; social activist, a voice for the under-represented and disenfranchised, interested in the struggles of the working class, influenced by the Black Power Movement in the USA, third world revolutionaries and socialist theory ... he is the epitome of the opposte of them as they snuggle up to whoever is in power wherever they find themselves.
In particular, he was sharply critical of the Black middle classes in many Caribbean countries - for selling out their Brothers and Sisters - which would place him as diametrically opposed their "always back the establishment" and "don't rock the boat" political strategies; strategies that increase and protect their own interests, and minimising any risks.
On the other hand, he also had time to write books for the children of Guyana. "
Lakshmi Out of India" I would have thought would have had the BKs' ears tingling ... but it's political too, about how the plantation owners devised a system of importing labourers from India to the Caribbean as indentured servants (1838 - 1917).
In my opinion, the BKs still pretty much base their economy and religion on an army indentured Indian women servants. Slaves really. Indentured servants could earn their freedom after so many years free labour. In BKism, there's no freedom except for death for them, unless they are willing to leave with absolutely nothing for all the years they put in; no land, no money, no real skills, no real education.
Rodney's magnus opum was written in 1972 ... and how much further are we today from "genuine liberation and socialism in Africa and internationally"?
Perhaps something that is more important than "Africa: Before Slavery" are alternative and positive histories both individual and collective to the usual negative narrative about Africa and the African diaspora. Even moreso today for young Black males where the only apparently role models portrayed in the media are extremely negative and materialistic, e.g. the typical rapper/gangster/'bad guy' in the movies stereotypes.
Recently, I watched a Swedish documentary called 'The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975' which contained a lot original footage from that era. That movement was stomped down upon incredibly harshly. Tying it back to onthor's original topics about New World Order, there is no doubt there was a conscious "conspiracy" to do so, and to keep Black people in the USA down.
And what did the BKs' god spirit have to say about any of this and any of that?
It's true there are any number of great and very brave Black activists attempting against all odds to uplift the Black "Shudra" classes, just as there are any number of great Black scientists, intellectuals, artists etc. If I was a Black BK, I would be asking the god of the BKs exactly what he is doing, or not doing, about their conditions and why?
I don't think I'd accept the "It's your karma" answer.