Anthony Butler – författare

The African National Congress (ANC) is Africa's most famous liberation movement. It has recently celebrated its centenary, a milestone that has prompted partisans to detail a century of unparalleled achievement in the struggle against colonialism and racial discrimination. Critics paint a less flattering portrait of the historical ANC as a communist puppet, a moribund dinosaur, or an elitist political parasite. For such skeptics, the ANC—now in government for two decades—has betrayed South Africans rather than liberating them.South Africans endure deep inequality and unemployment, violent community protests, murders of foreign residents, major policy blunders, an AIDS crisis, and deepening corruption. Inside the ANC there are episodes of open rebellion against the leadership, conflicts over the character of a postliberation movement, and debilitating battles for succession to the movement's presidency. The ANC is nevertheless likely to remain the party of government for the foreseeable future.This remarkable book explores how ANC intellectuals and leaders interpret the historical project of their movement. It investigates three interlocking ideas: a conception of power, a responsibility for promoting unity, and a commitment to human liberation. Anthony Butler explores how these notions have shaped South African politics in the past and how they will inform ANC leaders' responses to the challenges of the future.

The African National Congress (ANC) is Africa's most famous liberation movement. It has recently celebrated its centenary, a milestone that has prompted partisans to detail a century of unparalleled achievement in the struggle against colonialism and racial discrimination. Critics paint a less flattering portrait of the historical ANC as a communist puppet, a moribund dinosaur, or an elitist political parasite. For such skeptics, the ANC—now in government for two decades—has betrayed South Africans rather than liberating them.South Africans endure deep inequality and unemployment, violent community protests, murders of foreign residents, major policy blunders, an AIDS crisis, and deepening corruption. Inside the ANC there are episodes of open rebellion against the leadership, conflicts over the character of a postliberation movement, and debilitating battles for succession to the movement's presidency. The ANC is nevertheless likely to remain the party of government for the foreseeable future.This remarkable book explores how ANC intellectuals and leaders interpret the historical project of their movement. It investigates three interlocking ideas: a conception of power, a responsibility for promoting unity, and a commitment to human liberation. Anthony Butler explores how these notions have shaped South African politics in the past and how they will inform ANC leaders' responses to the challenges of the future.

This highly-regarded text provides a wide-ranging introduction to the social, political, cultural and economic life of South Africa. Thoroughly revised and updated, the third edition takes account of recent key developments, including the impact of the economic crisis, the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and increasing tensions within South Africa's politics and government.

This highly-regarded text provides a wide-ranging introduction to the social, political, cultural and economic life of South Africa. Thoroughly revised and updated, the third edition takes account of recent key developments, including the impact of the economic crisis, the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and increasing tensions within South Africa's politics and government.

This highly-regarded text provides a wide-ranging introduction to the social, political, cultural and economic life of South Africa. Thoroughly revised and updated, the third edition takes account of recent key developments, including the impact of the economic crisis, the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and increasing tensions within South Africa''s politics and government.

This highly-regarded text provides a wide-ranging introduction to the social, political, cultural and economic life of South Africa. Thoroughly revised and updated, the third edition takes account of recent key developments, including the impact of the economic crisis, the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and increasing tensions within South Africa''s politics and government.

Although the African National Congress (ANC) has been in power now for 20 years and looks set to continue in office for some time yet, its hold on power is neither permanent nor assured, and sometime in the future it is safe to say it will be voted out of office. This is the fate faced by all liberation movements that have won power at the ballot box. Being voted out of office is not the only fate awaiting political parties. Popular disaffection, loss of loyalty, splits and schisms, factionalism, all affect parties and in turn inspire them to change and adapt, meet the challenges or try to avert the loss of support. Yet we know little about how and why parties change in the Global South. This book explores various dimensions of internal organizational reform by examining parties from around the South. Several chapters investigate the ANC in South Africa, one of several dominant parties that have begun to lose their shine. Other chapters look at the Chinese Communist Party, the Indian National Congress, the Workers' Party in Brazil, UMNO in Malaysia, the Kuomintang in Taiwan, and Mexico's PRI. The book explores such issues as the uses and abuses of technology and social media; changes to candidate selection, membership, and policy-deliberation processes; discipline and political-education programs; party-to-party learning; factional politics; and the effects of state power on party management. For all those interested in knowing how the ANC might adapt—or die—as well as those with a special interest in political parties and party systems, this book provides the answers.

Commanding biography that tells the full story of this enigmatic political leader's life and political career for the first time, from township youth and student activist to president of the post-apartheid state.President Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa's fifth post-apartheid president. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as the founder of the National Union of Mineworkers. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February 1990, Ramaphosa was at the head of the reception committee that greeted him. Chosen as secretary general of the African National Congress in 1991, Ramaphosa led the ANC's team in negotiating the country's post-apartheid constitution.Thwarted in his ambition to succeed Mandela, he exchanged political leadership for commerce, ultimately becoming one of the country's wealthiest businessmen, a breeder of exotic cattle, and a philanthropist.This fully revised and extended edition charts Ramaphosa's early life and education, and his career in trade unionism - including the 1987 21-day miners' strike when he committed the union to the wider liberation struggle - politics, and constitution-building. Extensive new chapters explore his contribution to the National Planning Commission, the effects of the Marikana massacre on his political prospects, and the real story behind his rise to the deputy presidency of the country in 2014. They set out the constraints Ramaphosa faced as Jacob Zuma's deputy, and explain how he ultimately triumphed in the election of the ANC's new president in 2017. The book concludes with an analysis of the challenges Ramaphosa faces as the country's fifth post-apartheid president.Based on numerous personal conversations with Ramaphosa over the past decade, and on rich interviews with many of the subject's friends and contemporaries,this new biography offers a frank appraisal of one of South Africa's most enigmatic political figures.ANTHONY BUTLER is Professor of Political Studies at the University of Cape Town. He has been a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and a past Director of the Policy and Administration programme at Birkbeck College, University of London, and Chair in Political Studies at the University of the Witswatersrand.Exclusive sales rightsin the UK, Europe and North America, non-exclusive elsewhere (not for sale in South Africa - Jacana)

The New South African Review revives the tradition of critical, analytical scholarship developed by the South African Review in the 1970s and 1980s. Accessible to a wide readership and drawing upon authors from well beyond academia, its objective is to be informative, discursive and, at times, downright provocative. It seeks to provide contemporary comment and engage with current controversies. The first volume in the series, 2010: Development or Decline? ranges widely across the implications of the international crisis for the economy, the threats to our fragile ecology of present economic strategies, through to the state of the ANC and the public service, issues around service delivery, migration, HIV-Aids, land reform, crime, the sexual behaviour of our youth, and much more. Posing the provocative question of whether South Africa is embarking upon a long-term decline, the volume simultaneously argues the potential for a society premised upon social equality, social coherence and sustainability. This collection will appeal to both national and international audiences interested in engaging with the multiple dilemmas and challenges facing contemporary South Africa