South Africa's current political upheavals are the most significant since the transition from apartheid. Its powerful trade unions are playing a central role, and the political direction they take will have huge significance for how we understand the role of labour movements in struggles for social justice in the twenty-first century.

Autorentext

Alexander Beresford is Lecturer in the Politics of African Development at the University of Leeds, UK, and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His work examines contemporary South African politics. He has previously published a range of articles on issues including patronage politics, crony capitalism, nationalism and labour politics in the post-apartheid era.

Inhalt

Acknowledgements PART I: LIBERATION'S DREAM DEFERRED 1. A Dream Deferred: The Transition to Democracy 2. The Awkward Embrace of Neoliberalism 3. Towards a Post-nationalist Era? 4. A Brief History of the Alliance 5. The Implicit Ideological Compromise of the Alliance 6. Whither the Alliance? 7. Summary of the Argument 8. Unpacking the NUMSA Moment 9. Organisational Dilemmas and the Great Transition from Below 10. Exhausted or Regenerative Nationalism? PART II: RESPONSES TO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NDP) 11. Responses to the Militant Strike Wave 12. The Marikana Massacre: the Final Straw? 13. Ideological Blurring and the Nationalist-populist Backlash 14. Conclusion: Fragmented Labour Struggles and Defensive Nationalism PART III: INTERNECINE FACTIONALISM 15. The Interpenetration of Union and ANC Political Struggles 16. Patronage Politics in the Unions? 17. Coups, Purges and Fractures 18. Violence 19. Corruption Allegations 20. Sexual Misconduct Allegations 21. The Blurred Lines of Patronage Politics 22. Conclusion: A Labour Movement at War with Itself PART IV: CLASS FORMATION AND THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL MOBILITY 23. Class Formation and the Mobility Divide 24. Competing Class Interests within Union Structures 25. The Double-edged Sword of Upward mobility: The Positive Side 26. The Double-edged Sword of Upward mobility: The Negative Side 27. Conclusion: Understanding the 'Transition from Below' PART V: UNION DEMOCRACY, SOCIAL MOBILITY AND STIFLED MILITANCY 28. Democracy at the Grassroots? 29. Social Mobility as a Source of Union Decline? 30. The Loss of a Collective Mobilising Identity 31. Conclusion: Mobilise or Gradually Wilt PART VI. EXHAUSTED OR REGENERATIVE NATIONALISM? 32. The Symbolic Political Capital of ANC Nationalism 33. The Limits of Symbolic Political Capital 34. The Broad Reach of Nationalism 35. Workers' Relationships with the Post-apartheid State: Workers' Rights 36. Workers' Relationships with the Post-apartheid State: Service Delivery 37. Workers' Relationships with the Post-apartheid State: Social Welfare 38. No Ordinary Party 39. Conclusion PART VII: CONCLUSION: FRAGMENTED LABOUR STRUGGLES AND THE UNFINISHED PROJECT OF LIBERATION Bibliography Index