Difference between revisions of "Popular Movement of the Revolution"

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Popular Movement of the Revolution
Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution

Established	April 17, 1967
Headquarters	Makanda Kabobi Institute, Kinshasa, Zaire
Ideology	Mobutism
Party founder	Mobutu Sese Seko
Current leader	Mobutu Sese Seko
Motto	Neither left, nor right, nor even center

The Popular Movement of the Revolution (French: Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution), better known by its French acronym, "MPR," is the sole legal party of Zaire. Founded on April 17, 1967, the party's creation marked the emergence of "the national politically organized." Rather than being the emanation of the state, the state was henceforth defined as the emanation of the party. Thus, in October 1967 party and administrative responsibilities were merged into a single framework, thereby automatically extending the role of the party to all administrative organs at the central and provincial levels, as well as to the trade unions, youth movements, and student organizations. In short, the MPR had now become the sole legitimate vehicle for participating in the political life of the country. Or, as one official put it, "the MPR must be considered as a Church and its Founder as its Messiah."

The party's official doctrine (made public in May 1967) was laid out in the Manifesto N'Sele, so named because it was drafted at the president's residence at N'Sele, sixty kilometers upriver from Kinshasa. The major themes advanced by the manifesto were nationalism, revolution, and authencity.

• Nationalism implied the achievement of economic independence.
• Revolution, described as a "truly national revolution, essentially pragmatic," meant "the repudiation of both capitalism and communism." "Neither right nor left" thus became one of the legitimizing slogans of the regime.
• Authenticity was defined as "authentic Zairian nationalism and condemnation of regionalism and tribalism."

The concept of authenticity (French: authenticité) was defined as consciousness of one's personality and values and being at home in one's culture. As part of the authenticity campaign, Mobutu decreed that men were forbidden from wearing Western-style suits. Henceforth, men were to don a Mao-style tunic of Mobutu's creation known as an abacost (short for à bas le costume, or "down with the suit" in French); men who defied this by wearing ties found themselves being branded as subversives, and more often than not had their ties snipped off. As for women, they were required to drop the provocative miniskirts they had previously donned, and replace them with African pagnes, or wraps, and to drop wigs in favor of natural coiffure. Mobutu further decreed that all citizens drop their Christian and European names in place of African ones. Priests were warned that anyone caught baptizing a child with a Christian or European name would face a five year jail sentence. Mobutu himself set a spectacular example by dropping his first and middle name, Joseph-Désiré, and christening himself Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga. In Ngbandi, this translated to: "The all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, goes from conquest to conquest, leaving fire in his wake." In Tshiluba, this translated to: "Invincible warrior: cock who leaves no chick contact." With similar fervor, Mobutu renamed the country (previously called the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Zaire, a Portuguese mispronunciation of the Kikongo word nzere or nzadi, which translates to: "the river that swallows all rivers." The nation's currency and the Congo River were also renamed: the new currency was also called the zaire, and the Congo River became the Zaire River. Cities with European names were also given African names. (See main article)

In time, however, authenticity devolved into Mobutism, which carried the full force of law. Violations of it were treated as a constitutional offense. Mobutism can best be described as an ideology encompassing and glorifying the thoughts, visions, and policies of Mobutu. This was exemplified in the massive cult of personality centered around Mobutu.

"Economic independence," began in small stages, most notably the nationalization of the Belgian firm Union Minière du Haut-Katanga, which became Gécamines. This culminated, on November 30, 1973, in a "radicalization of the revolution" that hitherto became known as "Zairianization." Mobutu declared, "Zaire is the country that has been the most heavily exploited in the world. That is why farms, ranches, plantations, concessions, commerce, and real estate agencies will be turned over to sons of the country." Whether the intentions behind it were well or ill, the effects of Zairianization were disastrous; nearly all the nationalized industries either went bankrupt or had all their assets sold off. The economy, previously relatively prosperous, quickly became a total wreck. Moreover, Zairianization permanently institutionalized Zaire's corruption; it became a mad scramble for loot, as confiscated properties were snatched up left and right by Mobutu's cronies, as well as by enemies whose loyalty he wanted to buy. Rather than being turned over to "sons of the country," the industries became the personal playthings of the elite, while the lot of the common man that Mobutu purportedly championed became ever grimmer. Zaire's economy began a precipitous slide that continues to this day.

Throughout all this, the MPR has remained the country's sole party. Membership is compulsory for all citizens (all Zairians automatically belong to the party, regardless of age), and attempts to found opposition parties are ruthlessly suppressed.

	République du Zaïre
Main article: Zaire
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