"On the other hand, one factor helps us that no other liberation struggle in this region could count on - our liberation front is characterized by relatively highly developed class forces, tested in political struggles"

Joe Slovo draws attention to a distinguishing advantage possessed by their liberation movement: the unusual degree of complexity and maturity of its class forces. Unlike many other liberation struggles in the region, which may have relied primarily on broad national or ethnic unity against colonial or oppressive regimes, Slovo highlights the presence of class-based organization and political education within their own struggle. These class forces did not simply materialize in isolation; instead, they were forged and refined through prior experiences and political battles, imbuing the movement with resilience and strategic clarity.

A "liberation front" typically refers to a coalition fighting for freedom, often against a colonial, racist, or authoritarian system. In southern Africa, such fronts often emerged as diverse but loosely organized entities uniting people across class, race, and ethnicity under a unifying nationalist banner. However, Slovo underscores that their front is different, it is composed of groups and individuals who bring sharper understandings of social and economic divisions. These class forces, workers, peasants, intellectuals, have developed consciousness about their specific stakes in the struggle, shaping demands not only for national freedom but also for social transformation.

Their prior immersion in political struggles means participants are not only aware of the necessity to end oppression but also of the forms that post-liberation society should take. This results in the movement aspiring to not just replace one ruling group with another, but to fundamentally alter the structures of exploitation and inequality. Political testing grounds, strikes, protests, underground activism, have given these forces discipline, solidarity, and vision. Such maturity and collective experience serve as a buffer against internal divisions and opportunism that might otherwise weaken the front after liberation is achieved.

Ultimately, Slovo sees this advantage as foundational to lasting success. It promises a degree of internal unity, ideological purpose, and strategic sophistication that can drive both the overthrow of oppression and the construction of a just society.