Summary

The State of the State breaks new ground in its exploration of the nature of South African state in the 1990s and early 21st century. Louis A. Picard argues that the structural legacies of the apartheid state embedded in systems of government have a continuing influence on the success of the new democratic government in South Africa. By focusing in particular on issues such as affirmative action, patronage and corruption, the author examines the nature of political and bureaucratic institutions in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. He concludes that there is much to be learnt about the current state of the state from past practices. ""The State of the State"" is the first publication in the ""Wits P&DM Governance"" series, which explores the challenges and politics of governance and service delivery in unequal and limited resource contexts such as South and southern Africa. By focusing on public administration, institutional economics, development and good governance issues, it aims to contribute to the development of a knowledge base that informs governance policies and practices in southern Africa. Titles will address neither pure political science/sociology nor mechanical old-style public administration, but rather the dynamic interfaces between public policy analysis and decision-making and the actual implementation and evaluation of such through a variety of institutions, organisations and social processes. This book will appeal to people interested in the history of the state in South Africa and the nature of the transition which took place in the 1990's. It will also appeal to practitioners in the field and to a wide student readership, ranging from politics to public administration and management.