{"product_id":"9781848138605","title":"South Africa Pushed to the Limit : The Political Economy of Change","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eSouth Africa Pushed to the Limit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Hein Marais\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince 1994, the democratic government in South Africa has worked hard at improving the lives of the black majority, yet close to half the population lives in poverty, jobs are scarce, and the country is more unequal than ever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor millions, the colour of people's skin still decides their destiny. In his wide-ranging, incisive and provocative analysis, Hein Marais shows that although the legacies of apartheid and colonialism weigh heavy, many of the strategic choices made since the early 1990s have compounded those handicaps. Marais explains why those choices were made, where they went awry, and why South Africa's vaunted formations of the left -- old and new -- have failed to prevent or alter them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the real reasons behind President Jacob Zuma's rise and the purging of his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, to a devastating critique of the country's continuing AIDS crisis, its economic path and its approach to the rights and entitlements of citizens, South Africa Pushed to the Limit presents a riveting benchmark analysis of the incomplete journey beyond apartheid.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A classic. I doubt whether anyone can match Marais' grasp of where South Africa is at today.” —\u003ci\u003eBill Freund, Professor of Economic History, University of KwaZulu-Natal and author of 'The Making of Contemporary Africa'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Combining powerful analysis with a wealth of documentation, this book provides by far the best overview of political, economic and social change in post-apartheid South Africa. Essential reading for anyone trying to understand one of the great social experiments of our time.” —\u003ci\u003eGillian Hart, Professor of Geography and Chair of Development Studies at the University of California at Berkeley and author of 'Disabling Globalization: Places of power in post-apartheid South Africa'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An extraordinary achievement. This is, by a considerable margin, the best book yet on the political economy of South Africa. Marais combines an unrivalled knowledge of the literature with a prose style that is accessible, moving and witty.” —\u003ci\u003eJohn Sender, Emeritus Professor of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781848138605\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Zed Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40594314232014,"sku":"9781848138605","price":134.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_c5e12325-8501-4bae-9ff0-b811ad7d4d30.jpg?v=1637805861","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781848138605","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}