Idrian N. Resnick - The Long Transition Building Socialism in Tanzania

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I went to Tanzania in 1964 to teach economics at the University of Dar es Salaam, part of the new University of East Africa. As a result of my training in U.S. universities, I believed that the "capitalist road" was the only route to economic development. I had been taught nothing about the extension of economic and political power primarily by ex-colonial ruling states; the exploitation of labor and resources by foreign companies; or the development of national elites who eagerly plundered national wealth and retarded rather than promoted development. I thought the roots of poverty lay in the culture, education and lack of capitalists willing to take risks. I had many, many "ideas" that, I thought would help dig Tanzania out of its morass. Wiser people than I prevailed, fortunately.Following President Julius Nyerere's 1967 issuing of The Arusha Declaration, laying out the initial steps for moving Tanzania to a new conception of socialism--one founded on traditional concepts of cooperation and collectivity--I experienced my own transition to socialism.Three events were pivotal: (1) Nyerere reduced his own and high level government officials' salaries; (2) ordinary people throughout the country responded to his call for action, innovation and change; and (3) foreigners (advisers, researchers and academics) put down their own biases and lent their best efforts to helping make the new policies and programs work.