Elite Transition - From Apartheid to Neoliberalism in South Africa (Paperback)

Written by a leading critic of the current South African government, The Elite Transition is the first study of post-apartheid South Africa to examine in detail the compromises that have been, and continue to be, made between the past and present powers. Basing his analysis on extensive documentation, Patrick Bond focuses on how such compromises have come about and assesses whether they can actually lead to meaningful liberation for the mass of South Africans. Bond covers a range of socioeconomic continuities from old to new South Africa, highlighting the reasons for the transition's "development" failure and drawing on cases studies around key issues, including social contracts, black economic empowerment, housing, and corporate power. Dr. Bond explores the notion, widespread among many observers, that progressive policy making in South Africa is being compromised by the growth of a new petty bourgeoisie and ruling elite, and assesses the view that, as the speed of change begins to slow down, the official policy is increasingly one of lower expectations. While mainstream commentators offer little more than naive expectations of neocolonial authoritarianism, Dr. Bond provides a more searching critique that argues the need for a sustained understanding of what is happening in South Africa in its first years of democracy.