A Critical Analysis of Nelson Mandela's Ideology and Nationalism

This essay provides an analysis of Nelson Mandela's concept of ideology and nationalism, exploring his views on the role of the state, liberalism, and democracy. The essay begins by examining the ideological debate surrounding the state, discussing its positive and negative impacts on society, as well as the arguments of anarchists and liberals. It then delves into Mandela's perspective on liberalism, emphasizing the importance of equality and freedom, and his vision for democracy, which prioritizes the interests of all citizens. The essay also highlights Mandela's views on ethical socialism and the need for a mixed economy. Through this analysis, the essay aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Mandela's political philosophy and its relevance in the context of South Africa's history and beyond. The essay concludes by referencing key sources that support the arguments presented, which includes the concepts of nationalism, liberalism, and democracy.

Running head: NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM
Nelson Mandela’s Concept on Ideology and Nationalism
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NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM
The ideological debate usually revolves around the balance between the civil society and the
state. The state has both the positive and the negative effect in our lives, the positive part is that it
brings about order and social stability. The state keeps its citizens in peace and prevents the
inevitable. In the absence of the state there is the aspect of warlords and war. Hobbes calls it a
state of poor, nasty, brutish, short and solitary life if a state is absence of a state. Anyone would
wake up and kill the other one or steal properties, but with the state, rules and laws must be
followed otherwise face consequences. There is a constitution that directs what should be done
and when, if not properly followed then there are consequences too (Steyn, 2018).
A state speaks on behalf of the public or its subject. It uplifts the interests of the people they
serve, it is the only body that does not dwell of cater for their own interests. The states brings its
people together, they encourage uptake of responsibility and give the citizens an opportunity to
actively participate in decision making. They get the right to vote to bring a law in or out that is
the legal right. It understands the need of the people and supplies the need to the people in terms
of resources and even infrastructure. The resources are supplied with no special treatment of the
privileged and under privileged. People get equal opportunities, for jobs and for education under
a state (Senker, 2014).
The state uplifts social justice, it balances the range of social and economic benefits. It balances
market instabilities, ensures sustainable growth and prevents poverty. The state prevents the
aspect of social disadvantage, where the poor do not have exposure to certain resources and
facilities but the rich have. There is equal distribution of any resources whether to the poor or the
privileged (Freeden, 2013).

NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM
On liberalism, the state comes with its disadvantages, the argument of the anarchists is that, the
state brings about more bad than good. It brings more conflict than peace, there is disorder that
comes from the fact that the subjects are forced to follow the laws put in place. The state also
allows greediness and spreads aggressiveness. The leaders of the state take advantage of the
subjects, grabbing their resources and making them poorer. The fact is the disadvantaged
continue being poor while the rich become richer. The development of morality comes with
freedom and equality, removing the state brings rise of order naturally. This means if people are
not forced into doing something, they do it automatically without resistance but if pushed to do
it, they resist it with all their strength (Gibbs, 2014).
Even though a states promotes order, it is also an enemy to freedom. The authority of the state
should be minimized, this is due to the fact that their power is compulsive and coercive. The
power coaxes the people to think that they are there to help yet they oppress and make the
people’s lives unbearable. The economy grows beyond the reach of a normal citizen, making it
impossible to make ends meet. The poor get no supply of resources the education is for those
with resources, jobs are for those who can pay bribes. There is no freedom to choose because the
advantaged will still have it all in the end. The laws made are in favor of the makers and the
subjects are forced to follow blindly. The people have no option but to give in to laws, pay too
much taxes and follow any words coming from the state because that is how it is.
The states lifts the level of poverty, the state controls the economic state and markets, and this
upsets the balance and objects growth. It allows chosen to misuse resources and benefit
themselves without taking into consideration the poor. The helpless end up living lives of

NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM
poverty when the resources would have helped. The privileged rarely gets the punishment after
oppressing the poor because they get their way off things with money (Mandela, 2012).
On democracy, Mandela visualizes the passing on of power not to the advantaged in the society
but to all subjects in the country that is the poor, the working and the professionals. He agrees
that every country has classes of people, but both classes should work in harmony for the good of
the country. Democracy is when there is no superior being, both sides get their interests right
without having to sacrifice the interests of the others. On liberalism, he claims that every citizen
is equal and free and that is the background of every government. Mandela does not fight against
neither capitalism nor socialism. Every citizen has the right to air their view, to give ideas, to
protest and to participate on decision making. There is no subject that is superior, on the other
hand, comes the issue of the privileged. The fact is that they do exist and take over because they
have the means and the ways (Dicker, 2017).
The democratic virtues of a leader are shown by a self-sacrificing leader, one who is courageous
and takes up tasks on behalf of his subjects. He states that harmony does not come through the
discussion of our differences but through coming up with moral codes to overcome them. Ethical
socialism encouraged both mixed economy that appreciated both the private and public
enterprise (Kotze, 2018). Liberals take on poverty is that, if you want to fight poverty you give
jobs back to people rather than leave them to circumstances mercy, but rather than doing this,
they can simply fix the institutions of economy that oppress the poor.

NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM
References
Dicker, C. (2017). Nelson Mandela Biography - The Long Walk to Freedom: [Celebrity
Biography]. Chris Dicker.
Freeden, M. (2009). Editorial: What fails in ideologies? Journal of Political Ideologies,
14(1), 1-9.
Freeden, M., Sargent, L. T., & Stears, M. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Political
Ideologies. Oxford, England: OUP Oxford.
Gibbs, T. (2014). Mandela's Kinsmen: Nationalist Elites & Apartheid's First Bantustan.
Suffolk, England: Boydell & Brewer.
Kotze, J. S. (2018). Delivering an Elusive Dream of Democracy: 'Lessons from Nelson
Mandela Bay. AFRICAN SUN MeDIA.
Mandela, N. (2012). Notes to the Future: Words of Wisdom. New York, NY: Simon &
Schuster.
Senker, C. (2014). Mandela and Truth and Reconciliation. Raintree.
Steyn Kotze, J. (2018). Delivering an Elusive Dream of Democracy: Lessons from Nelson
Mandela Bay.

NELSON MANDELA’S CONCEPT ON IDEOLOGY AND NATIONALISM