Cart
Free Shipping in the UK
Proud to be B-Corp

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle Alan Kirkaldy

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle By Alan Kirkaldy

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle by Alan Kirkaldy


£125.29
Condition - New
Only 2 left

Summary

This book explores the role of social movements in the Southern African liberation struggle, through the lens of two 'everyday communists'. The Schermbruckers changed their views in response to the shifting national and international political landscape, the rise of Stalinism, and the flight of South African activists into exile from the 1960s.

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle Summary

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle: The Lives of Ivan and Lesley Schermbrucker by Alan Kirkaldy

This book explores the role of social movements in the Southern African liberation struggle, through the lens of two 'everyday communists'. Focusing on the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), the author explores the lives of Ivan and Lesley Schermbrucker, whose contribution to the party was more clandestine than that of leaders such as Bram Fischer and Joe Slovo. They represent how 'ordinary' people could play significant roles based on stances more rooted in common decency and morality than in Marxist theory. The book also sheds light on the interplay between transnational and national tendencies during the liberation movement, particularly between the 1940s and the 1960s. The Schermbruckers changed their views in response to the shifting national and international political landscape, the rise of Stalinism, and the flight of South African activists into exile from the 1960s. Both fluent in African languages, they were able to create relationships of trust with African members of the CPSA. Examining tensions and conflicts during the liberation struggle, this book provides fresh insights into 'underground' activism.

Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle Reviews

Kirkaldy's moving biography is about 'everyday' lives in a different sense from the ordinary. ... Kirkaldy illuminates Lesley's and Ivan's everyday experience: their residences; their bill paying ... and of course their love and confidence in each other, for it is very much a book about a marriage. His heroes may be ordinary enough people, but in the way they lived their lives, they achieved 'a trumph of the everyday' ... . (Tom Lodge, H-Net Reviews, h-net.org, June, 2022)

72 Words

About Alan Kirkaldy

Alan Kirkaldy is Associate Professor and Head of the History Department at Rhodes University, South Africa. He has previously published works on the Kalk Bay fishing community and Venda history. Alan has lectured on African and environmental history since 1989. Much of his teaching has focused on liberation movements.


Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND AUTHOR'S NOTE

CHAPTER 2 THE SOCIO-POLITICAL CONTEXT, FINDING COMMUNISM AND IVAN AND LESLEY'S EARLY YEARS

The CPSA/SACP, the ANC, Transnationalism and African Nationalism

Women in the Struggle

A Sense of Rootedness: The Colonel

The Rural Economy: Transkei and Zululand Traders

Foundations of an Activist Ideology: Ivan's Childhood and Youth

Radicalising Influences

The Party's Paper: Work, the Move to the Guardian and funding the Party

Lesley's Family and Youth

Developing a Political Ideology and Establishing a Working Career

Stalinism

CHAPTER 3 PARTNERS IN ACTIVISM - IVAN AND LESLEY

Life Partners and Struggle Partners

Security Legislation, Repression and Financing the Guardian

Growing in the Struggle

CHAPTER 4: TIGHTENING REPRESSION: INCREASING INVOLVEMENT, SURVEILLANCE AND DETENTION

Security Legislation in the 1960S in context

On the Central Committee

Funding the Revolution and Supporting its Captured Cadres

The State Cracks Down - Becoming a Target, Detention and Torture

Women Filling the Gap

Stayers vs Leavers in the Struggle

Situation of the Left at this time

CHAPTER 5: THE TRIAL OF BRAM FISCHER AND 13 OTHERS

Awaiting Trial

The Accused

The Trial Begins

Ivan's Defence and Cross-Examination

Judgement and Sentence

Reflections on Activism - Pre-Incarceration Letters

CHAPTER 6: WOMEN PICKING UP THE SPEAR - LESLEY'S INCREASING INVOLVEMENT, ARREST AND TRIAL

Increasing Involvement, Further Arrests and Detentions, Clandestine Meetings, Party Funds and Hiding Bram Fischer

Lesley's Arrest and Detention and Bram Fischer's Preliminary Hearing

Those who gave State Evidence

Tightening the Net Further - Lelsey and Violet's Trial

Caught in the Crossfire - The Children

CHAPTER 7: PRISON LIFE

Politicals and Non-Politicals

Ivan

A More Nationalist Focus

The Routine of Prison Life

Lesley

The Fort

Barberton

Changing Ideology

CHAPTER 8: AFTERMATH

Lesley's Release

Ivan's Release

Disillusionment with Exiles and Cementing a More Nationalist Ideology

Helping those Left Behind in Prison

Other Activities and Making a Living in Defiance of Restrictive Measures

Declining Health and Death

REFERENCES

ARCHIVAL SOURCES

UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS, NOTES, ADDRESSES AND RECOLLECTIONS

INTERVIEWS

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

JOURNAL ARTICLES

BOOKS

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

UNPUBLISHED ARTICLES

THESES AND DISSERTATIONS

INTERNET SOURCES

Additional information

NPB9783030839208
9783030839208
3030839206
Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle: The Lives of Ivan and Lesley Schermbrucker by Alan Kirkaldy
New
Hardback
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
2021-11-11
386
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a new book - be the first to read this copy. With untouched pages and a perfect binding, your brand new copy is ready to be opened for the first time

Customer Reviews - Everyday Communists in South Africa's Liberation Struggle