Ep37: By Any Means Necessary with Magdalene Moonsamy II

Is nonviolence truly the higher ground, or is that just a myth handed to the oppressed by those in power? In this fiercely honest conversation, South African lawyer, activist, and former parliamentarian Magdalene Moonsamy returns to the mic to confront the moral binaries surrounding resistance, liberation, and the cost of freedom.

Key Ideas and Highlights;

The Violence – Nonviolence Trap
Magdalene challenges the neat binaries of Gandhi vs Malcolm X, showing how these narratives have been weaponised to tame liberation struggles.

Land, Dignity, and Justice
From South Africa to the global stage, she argues that land redistribution is not just an economic issue; it’s about dignity, belonging, and the end of structural violence.

Colonial Legacies and Reparations
The discussion unpacks how racism, caste, and class oppression intersect, making the demand for reparations inseparable from the fight against ongoing exploitation.

Succession and Collective Leadership
Magdalene emphasises that movements thrive not through policing or gatekeeping, but through delegation, distributed leadership, participation, and a movement culture that is inter-generational culture-building that spans generations.

Slavery, War, and the United Nations
Drawing on history and present failures, she links modern war to the persistence of slavery—both physical and mental—calling for deep institutional transformation.

Licensing
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Acknowledgment
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

Resources & Show Links
Listen to the episode: Episode 36 – By Any Means Necessary
Explore all episodes: Trouble Makers on Linktree
To learn more on distributed leadership, non-violent discipline and movement culture, check out the Uprising and Peak GOLD course

Credits
Host: Phil Wilmot
Guest: Magdalene Moonsamy
Producer: Rodgers George
Music: Beautiful Trouble, Mwaduga Salum
Editor: Monica Kamandau