Summary

There is little written material on the history of the South African Communist Party (SACP) during the period 1963-1990. Material that does exist oftens lacks independence since it was influenced by Cold War bias, or was written by the Party itself. This succint volume on the SACP reconstructs the period from a post Cold War, and post- apartheid perspective. It covers for example the Bram-Fischer era and the aftermath of the Riviona offensive; the Morogoro conference, and its impact on the SACP's relationship with the African National Congress. The study considers the party's underground periods, its role in exile, its armed factions, and the various transformations the party underwent in the 1970s and 1980s. The author also discusses the party's ideology, strategy and tactics, internal dynamics and its relations with other political organisations.