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The Zimbabwean Crisis and the Unresolved Conundrum of Race in the Post-colonial Period

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  • James Muzondidya

    (Senior Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa. [email: jmuzondidya@yahoo.com, jmuzondidya@gmail.com])

Abstract

This article seeks to show that although economic and political factors were all important in the Zimbabwean crisis, the unresolved legacies of racial polarization and inequalities in this former white settler colony played a pivotal role in shaping the nature and form of the crisis. The emphasis is on the unresolved racial inequalities in the economy, especially in land ownership and land utilization, which contributed to the country’s economic crisis. Further, the article shows how the Zimbabwe crisis became protracted mainly because the ruling ZANU-PF successfully utilized the emotive issue of race to mobilize support internally, regionally and internationally, while both the opposition and external critics of ZANU-PF underestimated the power of race in mobilizing support for ZANU-PF, and in polarizing political opinion in Zimbabwe.

Suggested Citation

  • James Muzondidya, 2010. "The Zimbabwean Crisis and the Unresolved Conundrum of Race in the Post-colonial Period," Journal of Developing Societies, , vol. 26(1), pages 5-38, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:26:y:2010:i:1:p:5-38
    DOI: 10.1177/0169796X1002600102
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roger Southall, 2004. "The ANC & black capitalism in South Africa," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(100), pages 313-328, June.
    2. Sam Moyo & Paris Yeros, 2007. "The Radicalised State: Zimbabwe's Interrupted Revolution," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(111), pages 103-121, March.
    3. Ian Phimister & Brian Raftopoulos, 2004. "Mugabe, Mbeki & the politics of anti-imperialism," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(101), pages 385-400, September.
    4. Rulof Burger & Rachel Jafta, 2006. "Returns to Race: Labour Market Discrimination in Post-Apartheid South Africa," Working Papers 04/2006, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alois S. Mlambo, 2013. "Becoming Zimbabwe or Becoming Zimbabwean: Identity, Nationalism and State-building," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 48(1), pages 49-70.
    2. Artur Bogner & Dieter Neubert, 2013. "Negotiated Peace, Denied Justice? The Case of West Nile (Northern Uganda)," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 48(3), pages 55-84.

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