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The Barrel of a Gun|Ruth First

The Barrel of a Gun : Political Power in Africa and the Coup d'État

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Overview

Ruth First's classic study of coups d' tat in post-colonial Africa with a groundbreaking critical introduction for a new generation.

A committed communist and anti-apartheid activist, Ruth First dedicated her life to African liberation struggles until her assassination by South Africa's Special Branch in 1982. The Barrel of a Gun establishes First's position in the canon of postcolonial revolutionary thought.

Published originally in 1970, The Barrel of a Gun is the book Frantz Fanon might have written had he not died in his thirties. First examines one of the most troubling and complicated phenomena in postcolonial Africa - the coup d' tat. She presents detailed accounts of the coups in Nigeria, the Sudan and Ghana, as well as examining the role of the army in Algeria and Egypt. Written at a time when the fervor of decolonization and independence was receding, and the vulnerabilities and violent realities of postcolonial state power were becoming manifest, this book remains a foundational work on postcolonial coups and state power.

Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781804299449
  • ISBN-10: 1804299448
  • Publisher: Verso
  • Publish Date: August 2026
  • Shipping Weight: 0.81 pounds
  • Page Count: 560

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