People's Republic of the Congo
Encyclopedia
The People's Republic of the Congo (French: République populaire du Congo) was a self-declared Marxist-Leninist
socialist state
(in other words, a "communist state
") that was established in 1970 in the Republic of the Congo
. Led by the Congolese Party of Labour
(French: Parti congolais du travail, PCT), it existed until 1991, when the country was renamed and the PCT government was eliminated amidst the wave of multiparty reforms that swept Africa in the early 1990s.
, Sangha
, M'Bochi, or Teke
. 8,500 Europeans were present as well, mostly of French
extraction. French
was the official language, but other recognized languages included Kikongo and Lingala
. Most of the population was centered in urban areas such as Brazzaville
. Literacy was 80%, but infant mortality
was also high.
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The People's Republic of the Congo was proclaimed in Brazzaville
after a successful coup organized by militant
leftists
overthrew the previous government. Marien Ngouabi
was installed as head of the state and introduced a number of communist policies - such as nationalizing the means of production
- two years after the coup. After abolishing the national assembly, Ngouabi formed a Marxist-Leninist
party known as the Congolese Labor Party (PCT), which was the sole party of the new state. However, Ngouabi was assassinated in 1977.
Like the other African communist states, the People's Republic of the Congo shared close ties with the Soviet Union
. This association remained strong after Ngouabi's assassination in 1977. However, the PCT government also maintained a close relationship with France
.
In mid-1991, the Sovereign National Conference removed the word populaire ("People's") from the country's official name, while also replacing the flag and anthem that had been used under the PCT government. The Sovereign National Conference ended the PCT government, appointing a transitional Prime Minister, André Milongo
, who was invested with executive powers. President Denis Sassou Nguesso
was allowed to remain in office in a ceremonial capacity during the transitional period.
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
socialist state
Socialist state
A socialist state generally refers to any state constitutionally dedicated to the construction of a socialist society. It is closely related to the political strategy of "state socialism", a set of ideologies and policies that believe a socialist economy can be established through government...
(in other words, a "communist state
Communist state
A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...
") that was established in 1970 in the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
. Led by the Congolese Party of Labour
Congolese Party of Labour
The Congolese Party of Labour , founded in 1969 by Marien Ngouabi, is the ruling political party of the Republic of the Congo...
(French: Parti congolais du travail, PCT), it existed until 1991, when the country was renamed and the PCT government was eliminated amidst the wave of multiparty reforms that swept Africa in the early 1990s.
Demographics
The People's Republic of the Congo had 2,153,685 people in 1988. There were 15 different ethnic groups, although most people were KongoKongo people
The Bakongo or the Kongo people , also sometimes referred to as Kongolese or Congolese, is a Bantu ethnic group which lives along the Atlantic coast of Africa from Pointe-Noire to Luanda, Angola...
, Sangha
Sangha people
The Sangha are an ethnic group in the northern Republic of the Congo. They make up 20% of the Congo's population, making them the second largest Congolese ethnic group ....
, M'Bochi, or Teke
Bateke
The Bateke are a Central African ethnic group that speak the Teke languages. Its population is situated mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and with a minority in Gabon...
. 8,500 Europeans were present as well, mostly of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
extraction. French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
was the official language, but other recognized languages included Kikongo and Lingala
Lingala language
Lingala, or Ngala, is a Bantu language spoken throughout the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a large part of the Republic of the Congo , as well as to some degree in Angola and the Central African Republic. It has over 10 million speakers...
. Most of the population was centered in urban areas such as Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. Literacy was 80%, but infant mortality
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
was also high.
History
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
after a successful coup organized by militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
leftists
Left-Right politics
The left–right political spectrum is a common way of classifying political positions, political ideologies, or political parties along a one-dimensional political spectrum. The perspective of Left vs. Right is a binary interpretation of complex questions...
overthrew the previous government. Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi was the military President of the Republic of the Congo from January 1, 1969 to March 18, 1977.-Origins:...
was installed as head of the state and introduced a number of communist policies - such as nationalizing the means of production
Means of production
Means of production refers to physical, non-human inputs used in production—the factories, machines, and tools used to produce wealth — along with both infrastructural capital and natural capital. This includes the classical factors of production minus financial capital and minus human capital...
- two years after the coup. After abolishing the national assembly, Ngouabi formed a Marxist-Leninist
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
party known as the Congolese Labor Party (PCT), which was the sole party of the new state. However, Ngouabi was assassinated in 1977.
Like the other African communist states, the People's Republic of the Congo shared close ties with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. This association remained strong after Ngouabi's assassination in 1977. However, the PCT government also maintained a close relationship with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In mid-1991, the Sovereign National Conference removed the word populaire ("People's") from the country's official name, while also replacing the flag and anthem that had been used under the PCT government. The Sovereign National Conference ended the PCT government, appointing a transitional Prime Minister, André Milongo
André Milongo
André Ntsatouabantou Milongo was a Congolese politician who served as Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo from June 1991 to August 1992. He was chosen by the 1991 National Conference to lead the country during its transition to multiparty elections, which were held in 1992...
, who was invested with executive powers. President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...
was allowed to remain in office in a ceremonial capacity during the transitional period.