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This book chronicles how Zimbabwe's boomeducational and health systems unravelled after independence in 1980 and howexuberance gave way to pessimism. The uncomfortable truth about how socialismlost its way and the dramatic reversal of fortune is told. No jobs were createdfor the school leavers, inflation went up and poverty started to creep in. The1980s actually laid the foundations for the economic problems Zimbabwe nowfaces. Trapped in an ideological commitment to socialist enterprises, policymakers permitted accountability to slip, carried co-operatives further thanthey should have, and pandered to socialist greed with its corrupt tendencies.Zimbabwe: Beyond a School Certificateexamines the relations between governance and discursive practices in themodern labour market: the role of institutions of learning and skillsdevelopment, and the brain drain as creative and retrogressive forces in theeconomy; labour laws and the job market in a critical methodology fororganisational research; and the health system and the poverty datum line as ameasurement of the dynamics in industrial development.This is a genuinely authentic analysisbased on statistical data which support the unfolding events in the southernAfrican country. This book is useful for students (and lecturers alike) anddonor agencies wanting to know more about Zimbabwe. Organisations helping tofight the HIV pandemic will also find the book a source of information. ... Read more

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In the struggles for democratisation that emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s in Africa, labour movements often played a central role in the development of opposition politics. This book examines the emergence of labour as a strong organisational and political force in the struggles against an increasingly authoritarian state in Zimbabwe. Written by specialists in the labour movement from a variety of different perspectives, the chapters discuss the political, economic, global, organisational, legal, gender and sectoral challenges faced by the Zimbabwean labour movement in its move from the margins of liberation movement politics to a pivotal role in the post-colonial struggle for a more responsible and accountable civil society and government. ... Read more

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In the past two decades, several settler regimes have collapsed and others seem increasingly vulnerable. This study examines the rise and demise of two settler states with particular emphasis on the role of repressive institutions of law and order.Drawing on field research in Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe, Ronald Weitzer traces developments in internal security structures before and after major political transitions. He concludes that thoroughgoing transformation of a repressive security apparatus seems to be an essential, but often overlooked, precondition for genuine democracy.In an instructive comparative analysis, Weitzer points out the divergent development of initially similar governmental systems. For instance, since independence in 1980, the government of Zimbabwe has retained and fortified basic features of the legal and organizational machinery of control inherited from the white Rhodesian state, and has used this apparatus to neutralize obstacles to the installation of a one-party state. In contrast, though liberalization is far from complete. The British government has succeeded in reforming important features of the old security system since the abrupt termination of Protestant, Unionist rule in Northern Ireland in 1972. The study makes a novel contribution to the scholarly literature on transitions from authoritarianism to democracy in its fresh emphasis on the pivotal role of police, military, and intelligence agencies in shaping political developments. ... Read more

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This collection offers comprehensive insights into pivotal areas of concern regarding developments in Zimbabwe since its independence.By disclosing the intra-elite competition, assessing the performance of Zimbabwe's economy and explaining how the country's natural resources have been managed, we can better understand the ruling ZANU-PF's increasing reliance on the so-called war veterans and the land reform issue for its political survival.
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Drawing heavily on material from the archives of the governments of colonial Zimbabwe, this invaluable reference tool examines administrative policy concerning issues such as land conservation, community development, and land apportionment to Africans. Much of the original documentation collected here was destroyed by the Rhodesian Front government before Zimbabwean independence in 1980. ... Read more

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The stories of the Zimbabwean situation, particularly those of the urban townships of Bulawayo, are poignantly narrated through the voices of family members recounting their personal circumstances and what they perceive as the primary factors contributing to their repressed positions in the socio-economical hierarchy. Using an insider's perspective, Professor Moyo goes behind the scenes in order to dismantle the simplistic _blame game_ which asserts that the deterioration of Zimbabwe was caused solely by the current ZANU-PF lead government.The study details the historical context and interpretations of history, which led to the much-discussed Zimbabwean political and economic crisis. Socio-economic policies that shape, and continue to shape, the complex livelihoods of the Zimbabwean people are also attributed to current and future conditions. The author argues that within the Zimbabwean situation these contributors and their counters have not encouraged the prioritization of the needs of the most vulnerable population groups, but rather, that they have a tendency to hinder their general well being by limiting fundamental resources such as access to basic necessities, freedoms, affirmation of communality and individuality. Through the narratives of the Zimbabwean people, Professor Moyo highlights some of the acute strategies they and their families have used to survive as a way to explore future policy avenues that take into account people's _agentiveness_ (the capacity to overcome unfavorable conditions by utilizing what little resources are available), Zimbabwe's greatest asset. ... Read more

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The story of what Robert Mugabe did to the once-flourishing African state of Zimbabwe: how it happened, why it happened, and its implications for Africa.

Robert Mugabe came to power in 1980 after a long civil war in Rhodesia. The white minority government had become an international outcast in refusing to give in to the inevitability of black majority rule. Finally the defiant white prime minister Ian Smith was forced to step down and Mugabe was elected president of a country now called Zimbabwe. Initially hopes were high that he had the intelligence, political savvy and idealistic vision to help repair the damage done by colonialism and the bitter civil war, and to lead his country's economic and social development. He was admired throughout the world as one of the leaders of the emerging nations and as a model for a good transition from colonial leadership. But month by month, year by year, Mugabe became increasingly autocratic; his methods increasingly violent. In recent years he has unleashed a reign of terror and corruption in his country. Like the Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Zimbabwe has been on a steady slide to disaster.

What happened in Zimbabwe? Now for the first time the whole story is told in detail by an expert. It is a riveting and tragic political story, a morality tale, and an essential text for understanding today's Africa.Amazon.com Review
In 1980, Zimbabwe was the great hope of Africa, a place where blacks were supposed to realize their postcolonial destinies under the enlightened leadership of Robert Mugabe. But now the country formerly known as Rhodesia is an international basket case with a wrecked economy and a dim future. In this disturbing book by Martin Meredith, a British journalist with extensive experience in southern Africa, Mugabe transforms into a villain. "Year by year, he acquired ever greater power, ruling the country through a vast system of patronage, favoring loyal aides and cronies with government positions and contracts and ignoring the spreading blight of corruption," writes Meredith. "Power for Mugabe was not a means to an end, but the end itself." His reign has been so wretched, in fact, that some of the most sympathetic people in Our Votes, Our Guns are the white farmers who once supported apartheid-style rule but decided not to flee when Mugabe came to power. They were promised multiracial harmony; what they got instead was a racist dictator who thought nothing of using violence against them. Admirers of Philip Gourevitch--or, indeed, anyone with an interest in African politics--will appreciate Meredith's depressing but important story. --John Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

It was all here, clearly, in this book
The book came out in 2002 amid mostly positive reviews, with the occasional cry of racism from those who confuse criticism of African politicians with hatred of their skin color. As the years have passed, the plight of Zimbabweans has worsened and the kleptocracy of Mugabe has just puttered along, often with the benign oversight of the South African government.

No one listened, and the situation is still getting worse. The book has aged well, but the tragedy continues.

Scholarly and well done
The book is incredibly well researched, yet manages to keep it all organized and interesting. If you want to learn more about Robert Mugabe and his rule over Zimbabwe, this is the book for you.

Zimbabwe:from liberation to kleptocracy.
A nice book about the kleptacracy of present day Zimbabwe.Robert Mugabe took a jewell of a country and turned it into a failed state.He has done this so he can enrich his family, friends, and supporters at the expense of the vast Zimbabwean people.Meredith describes the liberation of Rhodesia and the early promise of Mugabe's presidency.After the honeymoon, Mugabe gave jobs to his supporters and enriched his party, the ZANU-PF.Latest developments in Zimbabwe continue to show the mass exodus of the few remaining whites, and the poverty of the majority population.Mugabe enriches himself and his supporters, but leaves the rest of the population to fend for itself.

I couple of comments about what some of the other reviewers said.Zimbabwe is no longer a democracy.Hitler took Weimar Germany and made it into a Fascist state.Ferdinand Marcos took the Philippines and turned it into a tin horn dictatorship.Just because a country has some trappings of democracy, it is not a democracy.Remember the Soviet Union had elections, and they were not free.Zimbabwe may have elections and a somewhat free judiciary, but it is not a democracy any more than Rhodesia was a democracy.Mugabe is showing traits of a Fascist or Communist Dictator (i.e. hero worship of the leader).Mugabe is also showing signs of his racist nature.He often berates the former white leader Ian Smith, but Mugabe's leadership (or dictatorship) is worse.At least Smith gave up power, Mugabe wants to retain power forever.

Another comment made by another reviewer is that the West should not show debt forgiveness to certain Third World countries.I quite agree, why subsidize Zimbabwe so we can enrich the kleptocrats of the ZANU-PF and Mugabe's family.The West should have learned its leason with Mobutu and Zaire.Don't give Zimbabwe a dime until ZANU-PF and Mugabe are gone.

This is a good book from a great author.I am reading his latest work about the Fate of Africa, and this is a nice companion read.

A well told tragedy that still continues
This book puts into context better than anything I have read the major tragedy that has been occurring in Zimbabwe for over twenty years. The parallels with the Congo (as covered in the excellent book "In the footsteps of Mr Kurtz" on Mobutu's kleptocracy in Zaire) are matched here by the story of how a wealthy and well developed colony after a crippling war of independence came under Mugabe's control.

The saddest aspect is while matters started very promisingly with the country ripe for a muti racial experiment and very similar to South Africa, the early use of force to remove tribal opposition was then applied unremmitingly to the white minority with fatal long term effects on the country's economy.

That inequality existed and changes were needed on land distribution were clear - theredistribution when it occurred was done in such a manner that not only were the whites permanently alienated but the corruption and lack of planning as to what was to replace has had fatal consequences with mass poverty, unrest and a wealthy autocratic elite destroying the future prospects for the poorer native populace of the country.

The control of every facet by Mugabe's Zanu Party whenever challenged has been met with violence from local opposition using North Korean trained cadres to outright intimidation of the judiciary, one of the real heroes in this story.

A very well told and researched history.

Decline and Fall of Zimbabwe
This is a super-readable book about the career of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whose corruption, brutality, and paranoia have wrecked Zimbabwe's democratic institutions and have brought the country to the brink of economic ruin.The book is refreshingly free of cant, and the author has a sharp eye for political grotesqueries, which have abounded in post-independence Zimbabwe.My only complaint (and hence the rating of 4 stars) is the lack of footnotes or any real analysis of the social or economic currents underlying Zimbabwean politics.Instead, journalist Meredith is content to chronicle events newspaper-style. ... Read more

Product Description
Almost every anti-colonial struggle this century has been led by an army of guerrillas. No such struggle has succeeded without a very high degree of cooperation between guerrillas and the local peasantry. But what does "cooperation" between peasants and guerrillas really consist of? What effect does it have on the way they view the world for which they fight?
In the struggle for Zimbabwe (1966-80), hundreds of thousands of peasants provided the guerrillas with practical help and support. But they went a good deal further. Throughout the country scores of spirit mediums, the religious leaders of Shona, gave active support to resistance. With their participation, the scale of the war expanded into an astonishing act of collaboration between ancestors and their descendants, the past and the present, the living and the dead.
This book is a detailed study of one key "operational zone" in the Zambezi valley. It shows that to understand the meaning the war and independence have for the people of Zimbabwe themselves, we must take into account not only the nationalist guerrillas and politicians, the bearers of guns, but also the mediums of the spirits of the Shona royal ancestors, the bringers of rain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Significance of spirit mediums in African politics underrated by western analyists
As a son of Zimbabwe I would dare say herein lies many of the clues,explanations and answers to some of the seemingly illogical occurences and happenings in Zimbabwe.I consider the book essential reading to anyone even vaguely interested in the history of Zimbabwe and its politics.

Human Creativity
Guns and Rain is a very good ethnography which demonstrates how creative human relationships can be despite the most adverse of conditions.The book is set during the civil war which ensues in former Rhodesia with a minority white government unwilling to extend voting rights to the majority unrepresented black population.In highlighting the human level of these problems, Lan very effectively shows us how destructive and instructive colonialism can be for a people.By reading of the relationships that existed before white rule and their destruction and also their emergence out of this experience, we are ultimately awed by how strong the human spirit can be.In spite of such horrific abuse and forced represssion, the local people are able to conquer their lives and move forward and create a new life.I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a different perspective on life and humanity in such traumatic circumstances as war and colonialism. ... Read more

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On March 18, 1975, Herbert Chitepo, an African nationalist in exile and chairman of the war council that struggled to liberate Zimbabwe from white-ruled Rhodesia, was killed by a car bomb. Since then, there have been four confessions and at least as many accusations about who was responsible. In The Assassination of Herbert Chitepo, Luise White does not set out to resolve questions about who was accountable for this horrible murder. Instead, in a style that is as much murder mystery as it is history writing, she uncovers what is at stake in the various confessions and why Chitepo's assassination continues to incite conflict and controversy in Zimbabwe's national politics. White casts doubt on official accounts of the murder and addresses how and for whom history is written and how myths and ideas about civic culture were founded in war-torn Zimbabwe. Although the truth about the assassination of Herbert Chitepo may never be known, readers will discover how one man's murder continues to unsettle Zimbabwe.

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This book looks at the realities of Zimbabwe's liberation war and its aftermath. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Global Legal Monitor, published by Law Library of Congress on February 4, 2010. The length of the article is 583 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Police--bill proposed to diminish police role in regulating public gatherings.(Zimbabwe)
Author: Hanibal Goitom
Publication: Global Legal Monitor (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 4, 2010
Publisher: Law Library of Congress
Page: NA

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd. on October 1, 2000. The length of the article is 2427 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE.(presidential election and social strife that followed)
Author: David Moore
Publication: Arena Magazine (Refereed)
Date: October 1, 2000
Publisher: Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd.
Page: 41

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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Zimbabwe Diplomatic Handbook (World Business, Investment and Government Library) ... Read more