THE CONCEPTION OF MEMORY IN NIETZSCHE AS A POLITICAL DEVICE IN ANGOLAN DEMOCRATIZATION

THE 15+2 (TWO) MOVEMENT

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the conception of memory in the work of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) and its application as a political instrument in the democratization process of Angola, with emphasis on the role of the 15+2 Movement. The research is guided by the following question: in what ways can Nietzsche’s philosophy — particularly his conception of memory and the concept of transvaluation of values — shed light on the actions of the 15+2 Movement as an agent of social and political transformation in the Angolan context? To address this question, the study examines the 15+2 Movement, composed of young political and social activists who, during a decisive moment in Angola’s recent history under the government of José Eduardo dos Santos, confronted the prevailing authoritarian order in pursuit of political, social, and economic change. From a Nietzschean perspective, the actions of these activists can be understood as symbolic expressions of the Übermensch and the “three metamorphoses of the spirit,” representations that challenge the dominant political morality and promote the transvaluation of established values. The study seeks to understand how key elements of Nietzsche’s thought — especially his reflections on memory, nihilism, and the will to power — contribute to the analysis of the practices and discourses of the 15+2 Movement within the framework of Angolan democratization. Research sources include fundamental works by Nietzsche, such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra (2018) and Beyond Good and Evil (2005), as well as historical documents, records of the movement’s actions, and academic works in the fields of political philosophy and contemporary Angolan history. The methodology adopted is hermeneutic-interpretive and historical, supported by a transdisciplinary approach that integrates philosophy, politics, and history. In this context, memory is conceived not as mere recollection of the past, but as an active force capable of shaping identities, challenging authoritarian structures, and driving social and political transformations. The struggles undertaken by the young members of the 15+2 Movement reveal this potential of memory as a vector of change and an instrument of emancipation, particularly in the Angolan scenario.