THE LIFE, THOUGHT, AND LEGACY OF CAPE VERDE'S FREEDOM FIGHTER AMILCAR CABRAL (1924-1973):
Essays on His Liberation Theology

For most liberation movements, the primary vehicle has historically been an armed struggle. This was true for the American Revolution, and is true for the various independent movements that campaigned against foreign rule in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Seldom has a liberation movement given primacy to theory over military confrontation. Amilcar Cabral was, however, an exception to this rule. While Cabral did not totally eschew armed insurgency, he campaigned fervently to hinge the liberation of Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau on philosophical underpinnings. Arguing for what he describes as the “weapon of theory,” Amilcar Cabral, founder of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde and Guinea (PAIGC) and a major figure in the struggle against Portuguese colonial rule in Africa, highlights the pivotal role of culture in national liberation and nation building. This book is the product of a collection of scholars who have come together to interpret, synthesize and give new meaning to the life and philosophy of Amilcar Cabral. While the focus here is on Cabral and his thoughts, the lesson, like all philosophical lessons, is universal and immortal. For any people victimized by oppression, there is an alternative to armed conflict. Cabral informs us that that alternative is “the weapon of theory.”