If Uganda was wealthier a socialist (like Idi amin dada) would have received less support. And more religious (hence less trust to someone from a Muslim background) Idi amin wouldn't have taken over Uganda. In this scenario what would have happened? Would someone else have overthrown Obote later than Idi amin did but earlier than museveni did? Or would Obote have remained president all the way until 1985? What other butterflies would there be?
What if Idi amin didn't take over Uganda?
- Thread starter softadoraa
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How, exactly, was Amin a socialist? If anything, his ideology was just “being an asshole”. I don’t recall ever reading about any socialist things being done under his regime.
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Amin was aligned with the socialist bloc and appropriated Indian owned ships factories to his followers. I’d say his economic policies were all over the place but he certainly borrowed the rhetoric.
It'd be interesting what impact the Ugandan indian community still existing would have had?
I recall how the return of many such exiles to Uganda during the late 1980s and early 1990s resulted in a huge economic upsurge. There being no expulsion would have seen this writ even larger. Uganda would be significantly more developed and prosperous than it is now.
During the initial portion of his rule, Amin actually tried to cast himself a friend of the west & received support from countries like Israel, West Germany & the United Kingdom. This was largely because the Prime Minister he overthrew, Milton Obote, had himself been shifting to the left. Amin was considered "extremely loyal to Britain" due to his service in the King's African Rifles in the Mau Mau uprising.
Relations broke down because he actually thought the above countries would just give him military equipment for free & when they insisted Uganda pay, he started buddying up to Gaddafi. Even his eventual acceptance of Soviet aide was down to them offering him the equipment he so desired.
Honestly when assessing Amin's rule over Uganda, it doesn't appear he subscribed to any set ideology but rather was an opportunist seeking the best deal he could get for himself. Even his stripping the Indian population of their property seems to have been motivated by racism more than anything.
Relations broke down because he actually thought the above countries would just give him military equipment for free & when they insisted Uganda pay, he started buddying up to Gaddafi. Even his eventual acceptance of Soviet aide was down to them offering him the equipment he so desired.
Honestly when assessing Amin's rule over Uganda, it doesn't appear he subscribed to any set ideology but rather was an opportunist seeking the best deal he could get for himself. Even his stripping the Indian population of their property seems to have been motivated by racism more than anything.
Well, he also postured as "honest broker but leaning toward the Palestinians" during the Entebee hijacking thingamabob, which I suspect might have caused some sections of public-opinion to lump him in with third-world socialists such as Arafat and, by extension, Castro etc.
Overall, though, he kinda bears a strange resemblance to today's red-brown/MAGAMarxists/whatever-they're-called-this-month, in terms of just shouting abuse at minorities and supposed liberal-elites, punctuated by accusations of imperialism.
he was a proponent of “african socialism” as well as of “third-way”-socialism, although a very crude and vulgar one, lacking any serious knowledge of socialist theory. He saw himself as a revoluionary leader and mentioned this quite often. However after reading these comments, I realize he didn't initially support socialism, so with the info about the OP's timeline, he likely would still have seized power in Uganda but lost it earlier. So now, I'm curious, what if that happened?
It would be up there with Kenya, top 3/4 richest sub Saharan country. It's lack of a coastline pushes it down.
Just indulge me. The Bundaga, King Freddie His own self, was probably the best of the lot. He wanted to create a israel in Africa. First World Captalist, and peaceful.
If this man, survives we have a bulwark of honor and at least semi freedom.
If this man, survives we have a bulwark of honor and at least semi freedom.
As a I know they are called MAGACommunists as of October 2022
Considering what I said in my previous comment on this thread. If Idi Amin is overthrown considerably earlier would Obote also be overthrown earlier? (referring to the 2nd time he was overthrown)
The return of Obote was tied to the Tanzania-Uganda war since Obote was an ally of Nyerere.