FREEDOM

AND
DEVELOPMENT
 FREEDOM AND DEVELOPMENT
Freedom and development are as completely linked together as are
chickens and eggs! Without chickens you get no eggs; and without eggs
you soon have no chickens. Similarly, without freedom you get no
development, and without development you very soon lose your freedom.

Freedom depends on Development

For what do we mean when we talk of freedom? First, there is national
freedom; that is, the ability of the citizens of Tanzania to determine their
own future, and to govern themselves without interference from
nonTanzanians. Second, there is freedom from hunger, disease, and
poverty. And third, there is personal freedom for the individual; that is, his
right to live in dignity and equality with all others, his right to freedom of
speech, freedom to participate in the making of all decisions which affect
his life, and freedom from arbitrary arrest because he happens to annoy
someone in authority—and so on. All these things are aspects of freedom,
and the citizens of Tanzania cannot be said to be truly free until all of them
are assured.

Yet it is obvious that these things depend on economic and social

development. To the extent that our country remains poor, and its people
illiterate and without understanding or strength, then our national freedom
can be endangered by any foreign power which is better equipped. This is
not simply a question of military armaments—although if these are
necessary they have to be paid for out of the wealth of the community. It is
a question of consciousness among all the people of the nation that they are
free men who have something to defend, whether the appropriate means of
defence be by force of arms or by more subtle methods.

Equally obvious is the fact that freedom from hunger, sickness and
poverty depends upon an increase in the wealth and the knowledge
available in the community: for a group Of people can only consume and
use the wealth they have already produced. And even personal freedom
becomes more real if it is buttressed by development. A man can defend his
rights effectively only when he understands what they are, and knows how
to use the constitutional machinery which exists for the defence of those
rights—and knowledge of this kind is part of development.
For the truth is that development means the development of people.
Roads, buildings, the increases Of crop output, and other things of this
nature, are not development: they are only tools of development. A new
road extends a man's freedom only if he travels upon it. An increase In the
number of school buildings is development only if those buildings can be,
and are being, used to develop the minds and the understanding of people.
An increase in the output of wheat, maize, or beans, is only
1
development if it leads which it possessed—
to the better nutrition of was quickly overthrown
people. An expansion of by foreign invasion,
the cotton, coffee, or because it was a culture
sisal crop is only of a few; the masses
development if these were slaves who simply
things can be sold, and suffered because of the
the money used for demands of this material
other things which development, and did
improve the health, not benefit from it.
comfort, and Equally, when the
understanding of the Roman Empire was
people. Development attacked, and its
which is not legionnaires retreated to
development of people their homeland, the fine
may be of interest to roads and buildings
historians in the year were left to rot because
3,000; it is irrelevant to they were irrelevant to
the kind of future which the people of the
is created. Thus, for occupied areas. Further,
example, the pyramids it is doubtful whether
of Egypt, and the either the Egyptian
Roman roads of Europe, pyramids, or the Roman
were material roads have made the
developments which slightest difference to
still excite our the histories of the
amazement. But countries concerned, or
because they were only the lives of their
buildings, and the peoples.
people of those times Development brings
were not developed, the freedom, provided it is
empires, and the development of people.
cultures, of which they But people cannot be
were a part have long developed; they can only
ago collapsed. The develop themselves. For
Egyptian culture of while it is possible for an
those days—with all the outsider to build a man's
knowledge and wisdom house, an outsider cannot
give the man pride and
self-confidence in himself
as a human being. Those
things a man has to create
in himself by his own
actions. He develops
himself by what he does;
he develops himself by
making his own
decisions, by increasing
his understanding of what
he is doing, and why ; by
increasing his own
knowledge and ability,
and by his own full
participation—as an equal
—in the life of the
community he lives in.
Thus, for example, a man
is developing himself
when he grows, or earns,
enough to provide decent
conditions for himself
and his family; he is not
being developed if
someone gives him these
things. A man is
developing himself when
he improves his education
—whatever he learns
about; he is not being
developed if he simply
carries out orders from
someone better educated
than himself without
understanding why those
orders have been given. A
man develops himself by
joining in free discussion
of a new venture, and
participating in the
subsequent decision; he is
not being developed if
he is herded like an
animal into the new
venture. Development to
a man can, in fact, only
be effected by that man;
development of the
people can only be
effected by the people.
Finally, if
development is to
increase people's
freedom, it must be
development for the
people. It must serve
them, and their
interests. Every
proposal must be
judged by the criterion
of whether it serves the
purpose of development
—and the purpose of
development is the
people. Yet if a
proposal contributes to
the development of
people, and if it is being
carried out by the
people of their own free
will, it will
automatically be for the
people's interests,
provided three
conditions are fulfilled.
First, if the people
understand their own
needs; second, if they
understand how these
needs can be met; and
third, if they have the
freedom to make their
own decisions, and to
carry them into effect.
 2 people, or security for
Development depends any individual or
upon Freedom group of persons.
If the purpose of There is only one
development is the way in which you can
greater freedom and cause people to
wellbeing of the undertake their own
people, it cannot development. That is
result from force. For by education and
the proverb tells the leadership. Through
truth in th1S matter: these means—and no
you can drive a other—people can be
donkey to water, but helped to understand
you cannot make it both their own needs,
drink. By orders, or and the things which
even by slavery, you they can do to satisfy
can build pyramids these needs. This is
and magnificent the kind of leadership
roads, you can which TANU and
achieve expanded Government officials
acreages of should be giving the
cultivation, and people; this is the way
increases in the in which we can bring
quantity of goods development to
produced in your Tanzania. But,
factories. All these although we must
things, and many give this leadership,
more, can be acieved the decisions must
through the use of come from the people
force; but none of themselves, and they
them result in the themselves must carry
development of out the programmes
people. Force, and they have decided
deceitful promises, upon.
can in fact, only There are thus two
achieve short-term factors which are
material goals. They essential in the
cannot bring strength development of
to a nation or a people. The first is
community, and they leadership through
cannot provide a basis education, and the
for the freedom of the second is democracy
in decision-making. can most effectively
For leadership does be dealt with by
not mean shouting at constructive
people; it does not development work on
mean abusing the part of the people
individuals or groups and their leaders; it is
of people you disagree certainly absurd that
with; even less does it we leaders should
mean ordering people spend all our time
to do this or that. abusing exploiters—
Leadership means especially as some of
talking and discussing us do not understand
with the people, the work which is
explaining and being done by some of
persuading. It means the individuals we
making constructive abuse. Instead we
suggestions, and should be providing
working with the creative and positive
people to show by leadership. We should
actions what it is that have taken the trouble
you are urging them to to understand the
do. It means being one development policies
of the people, and our Party is trying to
recognizing your pursue, and we should
equality with them. be explaining these
In particular, at this policies to the people.
stage in our history we When we have
should not be trying to convinced the people
blame particular that TANU's policies
groups or individuals are good and sound,
for things which are then we should be
not to our liking, working with them to
or ,not to the liking of create a society in
the people. The which exploiters will
exploiters, who are find no opportunities
now apparently so for their evil doing.
beloved by our leaders But giving
that they spend all leadership does not
their time talking mean usurping the
about them, are a role of the people. The
negligible factor in our people must make the
development now. decisions about their
Those few who remain own future through
democratic
procedures.
Leadership cannot
replace democracy; it
3 matter how unpopular a
must be part of
democracy. If the
decision relates to
national affairs, then the
people make it through
the National Executive
Committee, and
Parliament, and through
the National Conference
of TANU. If it is a
decision about district
affairs, the people make it
through the District
Committee and District
Council. If it is a question
of purely local interest—
for example whether to
undertake a particular
self-help scheme— then
the people directly
concerned must make the
decision following a free
debate. There is no other
way in which real
development can take
place. For just as real
freedom for the people
requires development, so
real development of the
people requires freedom.
Two Essentials of
Democracy
There are, however,
two essential elements of
democracy without which
it cannot work. First, is
that everyone must be
allowed to speak freely,
and everyone must be
listened to. It does not
man's ideas, or how
mistaken the majority
think him. It does not
make any difference
whether he is liked or
disliked for his personal
qualities. Every
Tanzanian, every member
of a community, every
member of a District
Council, every Member
of Parliament, and so on,
must have the freedom to
speak without fear of
intimidation—either
inside or outside the
meeting place. The
minority in any debate
must have the right to
speak without fear of
persecution; it must be
defeated in argument, not
by threat of force. The
debates leading to a
decision must be free
debates. And even after a
decision has been made,
free discussion about it
should be allowed to
continue. For the minority
must know that if it has a
good case, and if it argues
properly and correctly, it
will be able to convert the
majority. Similarly, the
majority must be willing
to maintain the argument
until the minority has
been convinced of the
correctness of the
deciSion which has been
made. Free debate must
continue. It is an essential
element of personal
freedom.
But the necessity for
continued freedom in
discussion must not be
allowed to prevent
decisions from being
made. There comes a
point where action must
follow discussion, or
else we shall do nothing
but talk. When there has
been adequate
discussion of a question,
and every point of view
has been expressed,
then the decision must
be reached, and the
majority must be
allowed to prevail. For
just as the minority on
any question have a
right to be heard, so the
majority have the right
to be obeyed. Once a
decision is reached, it
must be accepted as the
decision of all. And
everyone—including
those who were in
opposition—have to
cooperate in carrying
out that decision. Thus,
for example, once a law
has been passed it must
be obeyed by everyone,
including those who
spoke against it and
have not been
convinced by the
arguments put forward
in its support. More than
that, once a law has
been passed, it must be
actively supported by
everyone. It should not
be merely a matter of
acquiescence. It is not
enough that a citizen
should himself refrain
from stealing; he must
co-operate with the
police in upholding the
law, and must give over
to the police those who
transgress it.
For democratic
decision-making must
be followed by
discipline in carrying
out the decisions. The
minority must be
allowed to campaign
for a change in the law
or the decision. But
until they have
succeeded in
4
getting majority
support for a change,
they must obey the
law or the rule which
has been laid down.
Without this kind of
discipline no
development of any
kind is possible.
Discipline must follow carelessness. If the
Decision matron lays down rules
Discipline must exist designed to ensure the
in every aspect of our smooth operation of
lives. And it must be the hospital, every
willingly accepted nurse must obey these
discipline. For it is an rules. If there are
essential part of both difficulties,
freedom and representations can be
development. The made, but in the
greater freedom which meantime the hospital
comes from working discipline must be
together, and achieving maintained or the
things by co-operation person must accept
which none of us could dismissal. The same
achieve alone, is only thing is true in our
possible if there is villages and rural
disciplined acceptance communities. Once a
of joint decisions. And community has
this involves the democratically decided
acceptance of lawfully upon a particular self-
constituted authority. It help scheme, everyone
means that if we work must co-operate in
in a factory, we have to carrying out that
accept the discipline of decision, or pay the
that factory. Whether penalty which the
the factory is privately village agrees upon.
or publicly owned Yet provided
makes no difference; decisions are made after
its rules must be free and friendly
adhered to, and the discussion, and by
people who are in majority will, the
charge of particular essential discipline
operations must be should be freely
obeyed. Similarly, in accepted, and should in
hospitals, schools, fact, be largely self-
offices, and so on. If discipline. For if our
the doctor orders people want freedom
certain treatment for for themselves, and if
the patient, it must be they want development,
carried out by the then they will accept the
nurse without need for disciplined
argument, and without action. Indeed, the
acceptance of running of a modern
community discipline is factory. In the village it
only a problem in rarely mattered whether
Tanzania when our a man carried out his
people do not •task at daybreak or at
understand the noon; in a factory
implications of the hundreds of other
changes which we have people can be made idle
already effected in our just because one man
lives. In traditional does not do his job at
society we had the right time.
discipline—often very
These new kinds Of
severe. It was accepted
discipline must be
by everyone, and
accepted by our people,
everyone co-operated in
and by all our leaders.
imposing it. Our
And if anyone is
problem now comes not
unwilling to accept his
from the discipline
responsibilities in this
itself, but from a lack of
matter, then he must
understanding about the
accept the penalties of
machinery which is
his failure. If he
necessary for discipline
disobeys the law, then
in a modern state, and
the courts must punish
from a failure to realize
him. If he fails to
that different kinds of
observe discipline
discipline are needed in
the organizations of a 5
modern society. Thus, in his work, then he
for example, theft was must be dismissed. For
dealt with directly by we have to accept that
the community when the people in authority
each village looked in Tanzania now are the
after its own peace and agents of the people of
security. Now it is TanzaIlia. If they do
essential that suspected their job badly, or if
thieves should be they fail to respect the
handed over to the humanity of every
police, and not human being, then the
mishandled by the Government will
people themselves. Or replace them, or at an
again, the simple rules election the people will
of an isolated village are replace them. But in the
not enough for the meantime they must be
upheld while they are opportunity to be
carrying out the law, or heard, but a disciplined
issuing orders which meeting is not one
are in conformity with where everyone
the law. We must automatically says
ourselves Stop abusing "yes" to whatever is
people who are trying suggested. A
to ensure discipline; we disciplined meeting is
must stop calling a man one where the rules
a "Mkoloni" when he which have been
demands strict accepted as fair are
observance of the rules observed by everyone
in an omce, a factory, a —for example, where
hospital, a school, or every member speaks
any other institution. through the Chairman,
and where each person
If we are to live our is allowed to make his
lives in peace and point without being
harmony, and if we are shouted down or
to achieve our abused. For discipline
ambitions of improving allows the orderly
the conditions under conduct of affairs; it is
which we live, we must the means by which
have both freedom and decisions are
discipline. For freedom implemented—not the
without discipline is way they are made.
anarchy: discipline
without freedom is Ujamaa Villages
tyranny.
It is particularly
Discipline, however, important that we
must be a means Of should now understand
implementing the connection between
decisions. Only in the freedom, development,
very limited sense of and discipline, because
orderly debate is our national policy o?
discipline involved in creating socialist
the making of villages throughout the
decisions. And rural areas depends
discipline is not upon it. Forwe have
another world for force. known for a very long
A meeting must be time that development
disciplined if every had to go on in the
member is to have an rural areas, and that
this required co- we acted on the
operative activities by assumption that there
the people. Ever since was a shortcut to
1959, therefore, TANU development in these
has encouraged people rural areas. All too
to go in groups to farm often, therefore, we
in the rural areas, and persuaded people to go
our TANU to new settlements by
Government has promising them that
initiated settlement they could quickly
schemes of many grow rich there, or that
kinds. But we can now Government would
see that we have give them sewices and
committed many equipment which they
mistakes, and it is could not hope to
important that we receive
should learn the right 6
lessons from them.
either in the towns or
When we tried to in their traditional
promote rural farming places. In
development in the very few cases was
past, we sometimes any ideology
spent huge sums of involved; we thought
money on establishing and talked in terms
a Settlement, and of greatly increased
supplying it with output, and of things
modern equipment, being provided for
and social services, as the settlers.
well as often providing What we were
it with a management doing, in fact, was
hierarchy. In other thinking of
cases, we just development in terms
encouraged young men of things, and not Of
to leave the towns for a people. Further, we
particular rural area thought in terms of
and then left them to monetary investment
their own devices. We in order to achieve the
did these things increases in output we
because we recognized were aiming at. In
that the land is effect, we said that
important to our capital equipment, or
economic future, but
other forms of under another name.
investment, would The Ujamaa village is
lead to increased a new conception,
output, and this based on the post-
would lead to a Arusha Declaration
transformation in the understanding that
lives of the people what we need to
involved. The people develop is people, not
were secondary; the things, and that people
first priority was the can only develop
output. As a result, themselves. The
there have been very policy is, in fact, the
many cases where result of learning from
heavy capital the failures which we
investment has have had, and from
resulted in no the successes of those
increase in output— small groups which
where the investment began and grew on a
has been wasted. And different basis.
in most of the
Ujamaa villages are
officially sponsored
intended to be socialist
or supported schemes,
organizations created
the majority of the
by the people, and
people who went to
governed by those who
settle lost their
live and work in them.
enthusiasm, and
They cannot be created
either left the scheme
from outside, nor
altogether, or failed to
governed from outside.
carry out the orders of
No one can be forced
the outsiders who
into an Ujamaa village,
were put in charge—
and no official—at any
and who were not
level—can go and tell
themselves involved
the members of an
in the success or
Ujamaa village What
failure of the project.
they should do
It is important, together, and what they
therefore, to realize should continue to do
that the policy of as individual farmers.
Ujamaa Vijijini is not No official of the
intended to be merely Government or Party
a revival of the old can go to an Ujamaa
settlement schemes village and tell the
members what they understood. It is also
must grow. NO non- important that the
member of the village people should not be
can go and tell the persuaded to start an
members to use a Ujamaa village by
tractor, or not to use a promises of the things
tractor. For if these which will be given to
things happen—that is, them if they do so. A
if an outsider gives group of people must
such instructions and decide to start an
enforces them—then it Ujamaa village
will no longer be an because they have
Ujamaa village! understood that only
An Ujamaa village is through this method
a voluntary association can they live
of people who decide 7
of their own free will and develop in dignity
to live together and and freedom, receiving
work together for their the full benefits of their
common good. They, co-operative
and no-one else, will endeavour. They must
decide how much of understand that there
their land they will will be difficulties, and
cultivate together from that the sheer coming
the beginning, and how together will not bring
much they will them prosperity. They
cultivate individually. must understand that
They, and no-one else, coming together
will decide how to use enables their work to
the money they earn be more productive in
jointly—whether to the long run, but is not
buy an ox-plough, a replacement for that
install water, or do work.
something else. They, Unless the purpose
and no-one else, will and socialist ideology
make all the decisions Of an Ujamaa village is
about their working understood by the
and living members from the
arrangements. beginning—at least to
It is important that some extent— it will
these things should be not survive the early
thoroughly difficulties. For no-one
can guarantee that people will be inspired
there will not be a crop to create them on their
failure in the first or own. To get Ujamaa
second year—there villages established,
might be a drought, or and to help them to
floods. And the greater succeed, education
self-discipline which is and leadership are
necessary when required. These are the
working in a things which TANU
community will only has to provide. It is
be forthcoming if the our job to explain
people understand what what an Ujamaa
they are doing and village is, and to keep
why. Yet if the explaining it until the
purposes, and the people understand.
potential, are But the decision to
understood and start must be made by
accepted, then the the people themselves
members of an Ujamaa —and it must be made
village will be able to by each individual.
surmount such For if a group of 20
difficulties, and use people discuss the idea
them to strengthen and only 7 decide to
their organization and go ahead, then that
determination. The Ujamaa village will
difficulties will help to consist of 7 people at
speed up their the beginning. If 15
development to decide to start, then it
socialism. But the will begin with 15
people have to realize members— others will
that Ujamaa living join as they are ready.
does not cause There is no other way
miracles; it only allows forward, because by
them to improve their joining a man has
own lives. committed himself to
The fact that people a particular kind of
cannot be forced into life, and five who
Ujamaa villages, nor come in unwillingly
told how to run them, can destroy the efforts
does not mean that of the 15 who want to
Government and work out a new pattern
TANU have just to sit for themselves.
back and hope that
 The decision to join make a change next
with others in creating year, but their talk
an Ujamaa village is must not lead to a
an individual one. But reduction in the effort
once that decision is they make in carrying
made, then normal out the majority
democratic rules will decision.
apply to all members. In fact, once an
Thus, for example, the Ujamaa Village is
15 people will sit created, it is a
down together and democracy at work.
discuss whether to For it provides an
cultivate all their example of free
crops together, or discussion among
whether to begin by equals, leading to
jointly cultivating their own decision-
only the cash crops, making; it shows that
leaving food crops for when discussion has
individual activity. If to give
they can, they will
talk until they agree; 8
but if they cannot way to action, then the
come to a unanimous majority will prevails;
agreement before it is and it demonstrates the
time for work to need for discipline by
begin, then they will all members in the
decide by majority implementation of the
rule. Once this decisions which the
decision has been group has made. And in
taken for the this very process, the
forthcoming season, people will have begun
all the members have to develop themselves
to accept the as dignified and
discipline of the work confident human
which has been made beings, in a way which
necessary by the is impossible if they
majoriy decision— simply take orders from
even if they voted someone else. The fact
against it. While that the orders of an
working hard the "expert" may have led
minority can continue to greater output of a
to try to persuade the crop if they were fully
other members to carried out, does not
affect this issue. By
debating this matter and
then deciding for
themselves, the people
will be doing real
development of
themselves. Achieving
greater output will
come later as they learn
from their own
experience, and as they
are convinced that it
would be a good idea to
try a new method.
Progress may appear to
be slower in the sense
that statistics of crop
output will not increase
very fast at the
beginning. We should
remember, however,
that those people who
marched hundreds of
miles in support of the
Arusha Declaration did
not break speed records.
They plodded steadily
on until they reached
their objective, suiting
both their speed, and
their hours of walking,
to what they felt they
could maintain.
Yet Government and
TANU leaders can and
should help these Ujamaa
Villages and their
members. Leaders should
help people to understand
the arguments for and
against different methods
of organization. We
should help a group
which decides to start by
making sure that they can
get adequate land in a
convenient parcel. We
should help to explain the
advantages of working a
communal farm, and how
the problems can be
overcome. We should
make sure that the
members have
agricultural and other
advice available to them
when they are making
their decisions.
Further, Government
and Party leaders must
make sure that Ujamaa
Villages get priority in
service to back up their
own efforts and their own
decisions. For example, if
the members of an
Ujamaa Village decide
that they have a priority
need for water, and that
they can dig the ditches
and buy the pipes but not
the pump, then
Government and Party
should help them by
providing a pump rather
than laying on water to
some other area. But there
must be no question of
Government assistance
replacing the efforts of
the members of an
Ujamaa Village. Advice
must be given, but the
decisions must be those
of the members
themselves; help must be
given when possible, but group involved in any
it must be help for particular decision, and
something the people are any
already doing for
themselves. These 9
villages must start, and particular discipline, will
must grow, on the basis vary. Some decisions are
of self-reliance. For self- national, and the
reliance is the means by discipline is that of law
which people develop. which we must all obey.
Some decisions affect
Tanzania is all the only those who live in a
People particular town or district,
By developing the and the discipline is that
people of Tanzania, we of by-laws. Some
are developing Tanzania decisions arise out of our
For Tanzania is the own free decision to
people; and the people participate in a particular
means everyone. group—to work in a
(Tanzania ni ya Wa factory, to live in an
tanzania; na, Ujamaa Village, etc.; and
Watanzania ni wote). the discipline then applies
No one person has the to us because of our
right to say, 'CI am the membership of that
People". No Tanzanian group. But all of us are
has the right to say "I Tanzanians. Together we
know what is good for are the people. Our
Tanzania and the others development is our affair;
must do it". and it is the development
All Tanzanians have of ourselves as people
to make the decisions that we must dedicate
for Tanzania; all have ourselves to.
to work together, and
all of us have to accept
the discipline we
impose upon ourselves.
It must be joint
discipline—applying to
us all equally. But in
accepting this discipline
we must remain free
men, implementing our
own decisions. The
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