- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Algora Publishing (April 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0875862853
- ISBN-13: 978-0875862859
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 708 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,167,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Chikuhwa chronicles Zimbabwe's bleak history since the nation (then Rhodesia) achieved independence from Great Britain in 1980. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Chikuhwa devotes the first part of his analysis to his nation's vexed constitutional history. After outlining constitutions set up under British rule and then under a white minority government, the author focuses in detail on the 1979 "Lancaster House Constitution" of the Republic of Zimbabwe and how the new government, dominated by the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front, or ZANU (PF), and headed by President Robert Mugabe, enacted radical constitutional amendments that gave Mugabe far-reaching presidential powers. Chikuhwa shows how Mugabe's government quickly adopted a Marxist-Leninist style of authoritarianism, and documents widespread corruption, government intolerance of criticism, coercive tactics regarding voting, and the irresponsible manipulation of land redistribution. As many have done, he accuses Mugabe's government of nepotism, corruption and "blatant disregard for accepted ethical commercial practice." The second part of Chikuhwa's study focuses on how corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability in Zimbabwe's governance have intensified social problems, crime and poverty, and have alienated the IMF and World Bank as well as potential foreign investors. Chikuhwa analyzes this "quagmire" industry by industry, making recommendations for economic improvements. Chikuhwa's study, rich in statistical data and heartfelt commentary, will serve as a useful introduction to Zimbabwe's society, economics and recent history.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Perfect Paperback edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Perfect Paperback edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Zimbabwe's Crisis In Its Full Context,
By T. Wilson (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Crisis of Governance: Zimbabwe (Hc) (Hardcover)
Even with intense interest and focus on Zimbabwe, few analyses have been able to penetrate to the heart of the matter, moving us beyond the strident rhetoric of all the parties concerned. This detailed examination transcends the restricted view of the crisis in Zimbabwe through the lens of land dispute, to a broader perspective of an even more fundamental failure in governance. The author argues that the crisis in Zimbabwe is not as much a function of a heated confrontation over land, as it is a deeper issue of failed constitutional reform since the country's independence in 1980. The crisis has ensued precisely because the government has failed to move Zimbabwe beyond the negotiated Lancaster House Constitution of 1980, to a document that truly reflects the aspirations of the majority of Zimbabweans.Expansive, thorough and compellingly argued, this is a 'must read' for all who appreciate the complexities of politics in post-colonial Africa.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews) 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Zimbabwe's Crisis In Its Full Context,
By T. Wilson - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Crisis of Governance: Zimbabwe (Hc) (Hardcover)
Even with intense interest and focus on Zimbabwe, few analyses have been able to penetrate to the heart of the matter, moving us beyond the strident rhetoric of all the parties concerned. This detailed examination transcends the restricted view of the crisis in Zimbabwe through the lens of land dispute, to a broader perspective of an even more fundamental failure in governance. The author argues that the crisis in Zimbabwe is not as much a function of a heated confrontation over land, as it is a deeper issue of failed constitutional reform since the country's independence in 1980. The crisis has ensued precisely because the government has failed to move Zimbabwe beyond the negotiated Lancaster House Constitution of 1980, to a document that truly reflects the aspirations of the majority of Zimbabweans.Expansive, thorough and compellingly argued, this is a 'must read' for all who appreciate the complexities of politics in post-colonial Africa.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting book, good detail,
By ATB990 - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Crisis of Governance: Zimbabwe (Perfect Paperback)
I read this book about a year ago, it helped me understand the difficulties of African nations gaining independence and maintaining it. The author had so much detail I often felt I was reading a historical fiction.
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