Beyond Liberation Memory Politics: Gramsci’s ‘Organic Crisis’ in South Africa and the Resurgence of Nativism

Abstract

The social order constructed in post-apartheid South Africa from 1994 is largely the product of liberation memory politics pursued by the ruling  African National Congress (ANC). Arguably, the party’s successive nationalist projects have failed to satisfy the dreams and hopes associated with a  free society. Thus, it has become evident that its liberation war memory politics have remained vague (in terms of initial conceptualisation) and  incomplete (in the perceived political goal of delivering socio-economic justice). These suggest the existence of what Gramsci calls “organic crises”.  This article discusses these crises and their links to nativist-populist politics. The article traces the rise and formation of political actors and parties  such as Jacob Zuma, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) as attitudinal politics rising from contradictions in the South  African social order constructed after 1994. Utilising a qualitative secondary research approach, the article conducts a document review  approach to understand the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of Antonio Gramsci’s organic crises and nativism. The article adds to the  existing body of knowledge by presenting nativist politics as an instrumental tool and product of political narratives in circumstances of political  uncertainty and threats.