The Elite Transition

In "Elite Transition", Patrick Bond examines the economic and social compromises that have been, and are being, made between the past and present powers in South Africa. A former adviser to the ANC, Bond investigates how groups such as the ANC went from being a force of liberation for all people to a vehicle now perceived as serving the economic interests of an elite few. Bond covers a range of socioeconomic factors under both the old and new South Africa, highlighting the reasons for the transition's 'development' failure and drawing on case studies on key issues: social contracts, black economic empowerment, housing and corporate power. He explores the idea that progressive policymaking is being compromised by the new petit bourgeoisie and ruling elite, and assesses the view that, as change slows down, official policy is increasingly one of lower expectations.

In Elite Transition, Patrick Bond examines the economic and social compromises that have been, and are being, made between the past and present powers in South Africa. A former adviser to the ANC, Bond investigates how groups such as the ANC went from being a force of liberation for all people to a vehicle now perceived as serving the economic interests of an elite few.Bond covers a range of socioeconomic factors under both the old and new South Africa, highlighting the reasons for the transition's 'development' failure and drawing on case studies on key issues: social contracts, black economic empowerment, housing and corporate power. He explores the idea that progressive policymaking is being compromised by the new petit bourgeoisie and ruling elite, and assesses the view that, as change slows down, official policy is increasingly one of lower expectations.

Released to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the end of Apartheid in South Africa, this is a fully revised and updated edition of a best-selling work of political analysis. Patrick Bond, a former adviser to the African National Congress (ANC), investigates how groups such as the ANC went from being a force of liberation to a vehicle now perceived as serving the economic interests of an elite few. This edition includes new analysis looking at the 2004 election and the crisis which shook the country following the massacre of miners at Marikana in 2012. Bond also asses the historiography of the transition written since 2000 from nationalist, liberal and radical perspectives, and replies to critics of his work, both from liberal and nationalist perspectives. The provocative and though-provoking final chapter, 'From Racial to Class Apartheid', is a compelling conclusion to this essential text on post-Apartheid South Africa, which will be vital reading for all who study or have an interest in this part of the continent, and in social change more widely.

Transitions in sport can be either normative (relatively predictable) or non-normative (less predictable) and are critical times in the development of athlete’s careers. Whilst retirement from sport is inevitable, the timing of retirement can be less predictable. If an athlete copes well with the transition they may be better able to adjust to life after sport. However, not coping with the transition can lead to a crisis and negative consequences for the athlete. Transition periods from sport and in particular retirement from sport have been identified as high-risk periods for athletes in terms of psychological distress. However, circumstances surrounding the athlete’s retirement are a critical factor in the transition into life after sport. Voluntarily retiring from sport for example, leads to a smoother transition than being forced into retirement through injury or deselection. Research indicates that retirement from sport should be seen as a process rather than a single moment, with many athletes taking up to 2 years to successfully transition out of sport. Currently, there are few bodies of work that are solely devoted to retirement transition. Athlete Transitions into Retirement: Experiences in Elite Sport and Options for Effective Support provides contemporary viewpoints on athlete transitions from elite sport in a global context. This volume is a collaboration of research from leading authors around the world, offering global perspectives to athlete transitions into retirement and is key reading for both researchers and practitioners in the fields of Sport Psychology and Coaching as well as the Athletes themselves.

Provides an innovative theory of regime transitions and outcomes, and tests it using extensive evidence between 1800 and today.

Abstract: "Drawing on the recent literature on economic institutions and the origins of economic development, the authors offer a political economy explanation of why institution building has varied so much across transition economies. They identify dependence on natural resources and the historical experience of these countries during socialism as major determinants of institution building during transition by influencing the political structure and process during the initial years. Their empirical analysis shows that countries that are more reliant on natural resources and spent a longer time under socialist governments are more likely to see former communists remain in power and to start the transition process with less open political systems, with negative repercussions for the development of market-compatible institutions. Using natural resource reliance and the years under socialism to extract the exogenous component of institution building, the authors also show the importance of institutions in explaining the variation in economic development and growth across transition economies during the first decade of transition."--World Bank web site.

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A rigorous and comprehensive account of recent democratic transitions around the world From the 1980s through the first decade of the twenty-first century, the spread of democracy across the developing and post-Communist worlds transformed the global political landscape. What drove these changes and what determined whether the emerging democracies would stabilize or revert to authoritarian rule? Dictators and Democrats takes a comprehensive look at the transitions to and from democracy in recent decades. Deploying both statistical and qualitative analysis, Stephen Haggard and Robert Kaufman engage with theories of democratic change and advocate approaches that emphasize political and institutional factors. While inequality has been a prominent explanation for democratic transitions, the authors argue that its role has been limited, and elites as well as masses can drive regime change. Examining seventy-eight cases of democratic transition and twenty-five reversions since 1980, Haggard and Kaufman show how differences in authoritarian regimes and organizational capabilities shape popular protest and elite initiatives in transitions to democracy, and how institutional weaknesses cause some democracies to fail. The determinants of democracy lie in the strength of existing institutions and the public's capacity to engage in collective action. There are multiple routes to democracy, but those growing out of mass mobilization may provide more checks on incumbents than those emerging from intra-elite bargains. Moving beyond well-known beliefs regarding regime changes, Dictators and Democrats explores the conditions under which transitions to democracy are likely to arise.