In the US, the terms socialism and communism are often conflated, especially by some right-wing politicians and media, to stir emotional responses and discredit opposing views. This is rooted in the country’s historical experiences with the “Red Scares”, which ingrained deep fears or rejection of communism. As a nation strongly aligned with free-market capitalism, any association with state control or socialist ideas is culturally and politically sensitive. Consequently, labeling someone a “socialist” can carry heavy negative connotations and is often used as a tool for disinformation, wrongly branding even moderate or interventionist ideas as un-American. Western Europe is not the same. Socialist parties bear the name ‘socialist’ without causing any alarm.
And so what?
In spreading disinformation in Africa, external interests, along with their collaborators, have identified words and phrases that provoke strong emotions.
Imperialists or Imperialism: The emotions that surface in many Africans upon hearing this word are enough to disarm even the most well-informed and educated from interrogating any falsehood that follows it. This is because it is a historical fact that Africa was among the continents most affected by imperial exploitation in the past. With Europeans as the dominant imperial powers who partitioned Africa, disinformation agents find the term highly effective for furthering their agendas in the continent. In nearly every article or piece of disinformation targeting African audiences, the words imperialist or imperialism are almost always present. Even when the very states spreading the disinformation are exhibiting the worst forms of modern imperialism, history provides them with a convenient cover to still use the term unchallenged.
Capitalism: When African states gained independence, many chose socialism as the viable path to achieve rapid industrialization. Given the severe underdevelopment, of many governments opted to lead their economies to spur growth. While the results were mixed, to this day, many Africans still believe the state should play a major role in economic development—a belief well understood by those who craft disinformation. These agents often highlight capitalist entities supposedly plotting to plunder Africa through a neocolonial system. Ironically, many of the states behind such disinformation—despite their 20th-century history of communism—are now practicing capitalism themselves, with some even ruled by right-wing parties.
Western Domination: This commonly used phrase is one of the most ironic. Today, various statistics and developments across Africa reveal who is truly dominating—and who is not. From the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, and down to Southern Africa, the reality is increasingly evident. Perhaps the persistent use of the phrase over the years has already served its intended purpose.
