Now in its sixth printing, this highly popular book on the great African-American Muslim illustrates the influence of his Islamic faith and his international experience upon his constantly expanding political vision. The first to present a comprehensive analysis that integrates the developing vision of the man, Malcolm X, with the man he became, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, it provides an in-depth analysis of Malcolm's directives on why the African-American struggle for national liberation and self-determination is necessary, how it should be carried on, and why it can succeed. "The Islamic force tends to act against nationalism as introduced by western European development and socialism as introduced in the development of the USSR and China. It is both anti-nationalist and anti-materialistic. All aspects of societal life are viewed as an integral part of the whole, the din, the one God. Thus all aspects of life in the state must be theoretically harmonized so as to achieve spiritual peace, happiness and total submission to the will of one God. Both the governing elite and masses are theoretically equalized by rules and principles from outside of society (the Qur'an and Sunnah)...
So what's the deal with Malcolm X? Why'd he turn anti-socialist?
I don't really think its fair to say he "turned anti-socialist" since he was never really pro-socialist to begin with. From my understanding, he wasn't particularly interested in socialism or leftist politics for the majority of his life. For a long time he was a big figure in the Nation of Islam where he promoted separation of the races and the NOIs own brand of black nationalism and Islam. For a brief time before his death he became disillusioned with the NOI and travelled a lot around the Middle East and Africa, his travels (particularly his Hajj to Mecca) had a big impact on him and caused him to change a lot of his views. For example, he moved further away from the NOI and warmed up more to the civil rights movement, became much more interested in struggles internationally, and started his own Pan-African organisations. After meeting African revolutionaries like Kwame Nkrumah, he also became much more interested in socialism and did actually go on to give some talks to some socialist groups and voiced criticisms of capitalism. Sadly, he was killed before he could really develop his new interests in internationalism and socialism.
Basically, it wasn't that he turned anti-socialist but that he was anti-socialist and then started to become more pro-socialist later on. Hope that all made sense?
Yeah, definitely. Thanks. The ending sounds similar to what happened to MLK - I've heard he too was turning more towards economic issues and stuff before he was killed.
Yeah I think there are some similarities. When MLK was killed he was in Memphis to support some striking workers and he'd also recently started the "Poor People's Campaign". I know that Bobby Seale has also claimed that MLK had reached out to him to see about him and the Black Panthers working together but he was killed before anything could come of it.