CHIEF ALBERT LUTHULI: THE AMBIVALENT OR AMBIDEXTROUS ANC LEADER?
Chief Albert Luthuli was the revered president-general of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1952 to 1967. He was catapulted into global prominence when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960. Many critics regarded him first as a Christian and second as a politician. Luthuli employed Chr...
| Publicado en: | South African Journal of Cultural History / Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Kultuurgeskiedenis Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 155 - 176 |
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| Autor principal: | |
| Formato: | Artículo |
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South African Society for Cultural History
Jun2024
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| Sumario: | Chief Albert Luthuli was the revered president-general of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1952 to 1967. He was catapulted into global prominence when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960. Many critics regarded him first as a Christian and second as a politician. Luthuli employed Christian leadership in guiding the organisation. His leadership embraced non-violence, peace, and servanthood. Arguably, he may be the last ANC leader who magnified moral values based on biblical wise men and women. Yet, whilst he was an illustrious leader, Luthuli’s (ANC) followers sometimes opposed him. This was due to his leadership style and his stance on the armed struggle. Utilising theory synthesis, the article explores the potential of Christian leadership in leading a liberation movement. It appears that Luthuli’s position at the helm of the ANC was fraught with contradictions for, on the one hand, he had a following as a leader who was steering the ANC in difficult times of government repression, whilst on the other, some felt that his role as a pacifist was suppressing the role of the ANC as a liberation movement. The findings show that Luthuli’s leadership was inextricable from his religious convictions as he relegated political leadership to religious leadership. The conclusions demonstrate that absolute Christian leadership may not always be congruent with effective political leadership. Luthuli needed to be pragmatic as he observed the changing landscape of the liberation struggle. His focus could have been contingency leadership, where he could have combined Christian leadership with other effective leadership styles. Hoofman Albert Luthuli was die hoog aangeskrewe president-generaal van die African National Congress (ANC) van 1952 af tot 1967. Deurdat hy in 1960 die Nobel-vredesprys ontvang het, het hy plotseling wêreldberoemdheid verwerf. Vele kritici beskou hom as eerstens ’n Christen en tweedens ’n politikus. Luthuli het met Christelike leierskap wat geweldloosheid, vrede en diensbaarheid verkondig het, die organisasie bestuur. Daar kan geredeneer word dat hy heel moontlik die laaste ANC-leier was wat morele waardes verheerlik het, gebaseer op wyse manne en vroue van die Bybel. Hoewel hy ’n luisterryke tydperk as leier gehad het, is Luthuli soms deur sy ANC-volgelinge kwalik geneem oor sy leierskapstyl en sy standpunt teen gewapende verset. Deur middel van teoriesintese ondersoek dié artikel die potensiaal van Christelike leierskap in die leiding van ’n bevrydingsorganisasie. Dit blyk dat Luthuli se posisie as leier gekenmerk was deur teenstrydighede omdat hy, aan die een kant, ondersteuning as ANC-leier gehad het tydens die uitdagings van regeringsonderdrukking en gelyktydig, aan die ander kant, was sommige van mening dat hy, as pasifi s, die rol van die ANC as bevrydingsorganisasie verswak het. Die bevindinge toon dat Luthuli se leierskap onlosmaaklik verbonde was aan sy godsdienstige oortuigings, aangesien hy godsdienstige leierskap bo politieke leierskap verhef het. Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat absolute Christelike leierskap nie altyd versoenbaar is met geslaagde politieke leierskap nie. Luthuli moes pragmaties gewees het in sy beskouing van die veranderende landskap van die bevrydingstryd. Hy kon op gebeurlikheidsleierskap gefokus het waar hy sy Christelike leierskap met ander doeltreffende leierskapstyle kon kombineer. |
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