Amilcar Cabral’s Theory of Class Suicide

The goals of this essay are to (a) describe Amilcar Cabral’s theory of class suicide, (b) explain how it was developed, and (c) explore how this perspective might be interpreted in the present. Class suicide considered the conditions under which the petty bourgeoisie of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde might come to renounce their relative privilege and support Cabral’s revolutionary struggle against Portuguese colonialism. This perspective likely arose out of Cabral’s reflections around issues which arose early in the PAIGC’s struggle such as recruiting new members and building support among the people of Guinea-Bissau. I close with an argument that class suicide should not be read as a guide to direct action in the present, but can provide insights on how to develop an analysis to guide action in the present.