102 Book Reviews
The authors develop their dual thesis by focusing on the asymmetrical interplay
between repressive state action and popular opposition, which leaves the business
community vacillating between the two extremes. In this interplay, state action is
seen through the changing, and sometimes conflicting, roles of the South African
Defence Forces (SDF) and the South African Police (SAP); while popular opposition
is seen through the increasing political mobilisation in the black townships of the
Transvaal, which has triggered a breakdown of state inspired local government; the
politicisation of the black trade union movement; the 'civil war' between Inkatha
and the United Democratic Front; and the changing strategy of the African National
Congress (ANC), among many more loosely defined black forces. Within this
scheme, the authors present a somewhat detailed journalistic treatment of such
issues as the current history of reform strategies in South Africa, the role of business
in reform, the crisis of local government; the role of the SDF in intensifying civil
war; Inkatha as a wild card in contemporary black politics, the black trade union
movement, the mobilisation of black townships and some historical review of
the ANC.
One of the co-authors, Philip Frankel, concludes the book by examining some
pathways for transition beyond apartheid. These include: state reform negotiation,
closure and revolution. Because of the Gramsci type of interregnum, which the
authors say characterises contemporary South Africa, all of these pathways are
found wanting in terms of their immediate viability in encapsulating what die
authors see as the dynamic reality of contemporary South Africa.
While this conclusion smacks of understandable liberal skepticism, State Resistance
and Change in South Africa fails to grapple analytically with die consequences
of the increasing ungovernability of the apartheid state. Excessive repression does
not diminish opposition, radier it serves as a dynamic catalyst for ungovernability,
as happened in the Shah's Iran, Marcos' Philippines and recendy in Pinochet's Chile.
A credible work is yet to be produced on the revolutionary possibilities of
ungovernability is South Africa.
Reviewed by Jonathan N Moyo, Department of Political and Administrative Studies,
University of Zimbabwe, Harare.
Doing a Feasibility Study, S Kindervatter (ed), OEF, Washington DC, 1987 (US$15,
171pp).
Marketing Strategy, S Kindervatter with M Range (eds), OEF, Washington DC, 1986
(US$12,50, 96pp).
These two books, particularly the second, in a series on appropriate business skills for
Third World women, cover topics of relevance to anyone involved in small economic
projects. Both books begin with notes'on how to use die materials and participatory
training.
The first book covers the following:
— what a feasibility study is, and its importance
— choosing a product or service to sell
— finding out if people will buy the product
— determining how the business will operate
Book Reviews 103
— calculating business expenses
— estimating sales income
— deciding if the business is a good idea.
The second book introduces the idea of marketing through a game. Then it covers:
— what is effective marketing
— a problem-posing marketing story
— ideas for visiting local businesses
— creating marketing messages
— ideas for improving practice and solving problems
— ideas for expanding business
— developing marketing plans
— ideas for follow-up.
The books are lively and participatory in style, well laid out and visual. The
methods and ideas are accessible to both literate and illiterate women.
However, to assist us to evaluate the usefulness of these books for Zimbabwe, and
other parts of Africa, we need to look more widely at criteria for evaluating development
textbooks. I would suggest the following criteria:
1. A book should be accessible to newly literate readers in terms of language level and
presentation.
2. The book should be rooted in the collective experience of the people for whom, or
with whom, it is designed.
3. It should be participatory in style, and generative.
4. Whatever the topic, its economic, political and cultural aspects jhould be dealt
with, as well as its practical aspects. (This last criteria gives reader-participants a
deeper understanding of the topic and a wider range of practical and analytical
skills).
To what extent do the two books being reviewed meet the criteria? Unlike many local
textbooks, they meet the first three criteria well. They are accessible, and rooted in the
experience of women from several Asian, Latin American and African countries.
They were widely tested. The style is participatory and generative, the books draw on
women's experience and build their confidence to improve, and extend, the ideas
that are covered.
The only weakness of these books is that they fail to meet our fourth criteria, the
practical training is not situated within a political; economic and cultural context.
Whether this is because the books are too international to have a specific context, or
whether USAID which funded the books would not accept such an approach, is
unclear. —^
However, all of us involved in small economic projects should realise that at
present a very wide range of agencies from, left to right, are promoting small
enterprises. The Right see them as a necessary part of'development as a tranquiliser',
making the situation of women from low income groups a little better so that they are
not provoked to challenge the deeper inequalities in the economy.. Those of us who
believe in development leading to transformation, think that to empower women
from low income groups, training should involve economic, political and cultural
information and analysis, as well as practical skills. So it is not enough to look at the
practical skills needed for one enterprise, rather women need to examine national
strategies to promote their economic rights as well.
104 Book Reviews
Bearing in mind this one reservation, these books are recommended to
Zimbabweans, and others involved in small economic projects.
Reviewed by Kathy Bond-Stewart, Harare.
Women in the Third World. A Directory of Resources, Thomas P Fenton and Mary
J Heffron (eds), Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1987 (US$9,95, Hipp).
This directory of resources relating to women in the Third World includes lists of
organisations, books, periodicals, pamphlets and articles, and audiovisual and other
resources which in one way or another relate to, serve, work for, or bring together
women in the Third World. The Third World in this case includes people and
countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Carribean, and the
Middle East — but not 'third world' elements in the industrialised nations of the First
World. This publication updates the chapter on women from an earlier publication
Third World Resource Directory (Orbis: 1984). It is one of a number of resource
books published by Orbis Books, for Maryknoll, which have been compiled by
Thomas Fenton and Mary Heffron of the Third World Resources project of the Data
Centre, a public-interest information library.
Marilee Karl, ISIS International Coordinator, writes very positively about this
publication in the Foreword (vii):
"Leafing through the pages of this directory gives a feeling for the breadth, depth,
and dynamism of women's consciousness-raising and organisational efforts in the
Third World. Here are the voices of Central American women, suffering in strifetorn
situations, of women from rural villages in Asia drawn by poverty into the
sex-tourism industry in the capital cities or around US military bases, of Mexican
women working in US owned border industries, or Third World women explaining
just what the world economic crisis means to the survival chances of millions of
families like their own."
In addition to indicating how much material of value there is in this publication,
Marilee Karl's comments point also to the statement of political orientation made by
the editors, who indicate that the resource directories are partisan and biased in
favour of a radical analysis of Third World affairs. This political orientation is
reflected in the objectives of the Data Centre for its series of publications on Third
World issues, as stated in the Preface (xf):
1. to strengthen the ties among organisations diat oppose the injustices in foreign
military and economic intervention in the Third World by helping to dismantle the
institutional, issue-related, and regional barriers that now divide these groups.
2. to legitimise and give equal time to alternative points of view on Third World
affairs in general and on the involvement of the United States and other major powers
in the Third World in particular.
3. to promote the education/action resources of Third World-related organisations
in a sustained, focused, and professional manner.
4. to put in the hands of researchers and organisers in the Third World
comprehensive guides to Third World-related organisations and educational
resources in other parts of the world.
5. to direct concerned citizens in First World countries to the books, periodicals,
audiovisuals, and other resources they need to study in order to take informed and