Third Worldism and Internationalism

Abstract

Abstract

A Critical Political Economy of the Small Island Developing States Concept

“…Clearly, the NIEO was faced with a number of important (perhaps insurmountable) constraints, not the least was the flaw of its leaders who often used the rhetoric of a 'common front' not so much to actually hold the West to account but to justify their own domestic malpractices or economic crises by placing the entire blame on the West. Thus it has been argued that, ever since the Bandung Conference in 1955, the rhetoric of cooperation was used more as a tool of 'electoral realpolitik [than] as ideological call to arms' (Nash, 2004). Perhaps the culmination of Bandung's aims in the NIEO demonstrated that South-South cooperation 'did not result in any lasting political alliance or structure' (Nash, 2004).…”

“…Thus it has been argued that, ever since the Bandung Conference in 1955, the rhetoric of cooperation was used more as a tool of 'electoral realpolitik [than] as ideological call to arms' (Nash, 2004). Perhaps the culmination of Bandung's aims in the NIEO demonstrated that South-South cooperation 'did not result in any lasting political alliance or structure' (Nash, 2004). Perhaps more importantly (in terms of strategy) is the fact that the debt crisis of the early 1980s (fuelled by the effects of the commodity crash and oil boom of the 1970s and the western regrouping around neoliberal fundamentals), allowed the members of the NIEO to be unilaterally picked off one-by-one.…”

“…If genuine popular support had been in place perhaps it would have politically easier to withstand the forces of the uneven global economy. Instead, 'the politics of Third Worldism took distinctly different routes in various national contexts' (Nash, 2004).…”

“A passion to change the landscape and drive a renaissance”: The mRNA Hub at Afrigen as decolonial aspiration

“…It is worth underscoring that Ramaphosa's righteous plea is made not only on behalf of his country, but also on behalf of his continent. This is in stark contrast with the vaccine nationalism expressed by leaders of the world's richest countries, and is evocative of third worldism described by Andrew Nash as significantly flawed but nonetheless “as viable a model as we have of revolutionary internationalism as a living force, an ethos of consciously shaping ideas and actions not through pronouncements from above, but through building links of solidarity, exchanging ideas, developing common resources and engaging in collective action” ( 24 ). This ethos is something that we find inspiring in the example of the mRNA Hub.…”

Guns, Guerillas, and The Great Leader: North Korea and the Third World By Benjamin R. Young. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2021. 218 pp. $28 (Paper), $90 (Cloth).

“…Young's central argument is that Third Worldism, a form of socialist internationalism which sought to dismantle western economic and political hegemony over postcolonial states (Nash, 2003, 95), formed an important part of North Korea's foreign policy and national identity construction. This allowed Kim Il Sung to establish economic and political relationships with emerging postcolonial states, export his Juche ideology and personality cult, and bolster North Korea's international recognition vis-à-vis South Korea.…”