He was very much a 60's era revolutionary: very left wing,
If he had taken power in the 60's I bet he would have died in office of either old age or a coup.
And SA would be just another basket case among the many in Africa today.
He changed over time from a violent revolutionary to something and someone far more interesting.
He very likely helped plan some of the violence at a high level while in prison, but he clearly could not do much while living in prison.
While the future of SA is very much unwritten, and it could easily fall into the traditional African model of race and ethnic based corruption and violence, and be ruled by a kletocracy, that it has not yet happened is remarkable.
Ed