Journal of Social Development in Africa, (1994),9. 2, 101-113 Book Reviews Erratum: Volume 9No 1 (1994) page 91: Book: Review on The Politics of Africa's Economic Recovery by Richard Sandbrook, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1993 was mistakenly credited to ProfK waku Osei-Hwedie. The book: was reviewed by Dr Bertha Studies De- Zimba Osei-Hwedie, partment, University Lecturer, of Botswana. The error is regretted by the editor. and Administrative Political and Political Change in the Third World, Barry M Schultz and Revolution Robert 0 Slater (eds), Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, Colorado; Adamantine Press Ltd, London, (p/b). Price: £14.50 (p/b) 1990, ISBN 0-7449-0025-5 (bib), 0-7449-0026-3 explain occurrence The authors thesis presented legitimacy and denial of political is that of governments revolutions of revolutions in the Third World. The central in the Third World are caused by lack of in power due to lack of satisfaction of economic needs rights to the general population. revolutions Part One of the book is devoted to outlining the theoretical in the Third World: analysing macy are clarified and the authors acknowledge in societies where governments mere existence else all Third World countries would have undergone now; in motion. of economic rather, when poverty becomes unbearable by the masses, the concepts of revolution the fact that revolutions for and legiti- also occur that is not a sufficient cause of revolution or change by is set revolutionary therevolution enjoy legitimacy. They further acknowledge deprivation framework ideology approaches four different, More important, yet complementary present tions in the Third World Chaliand' tionalism, borrowed western conceptions Third World conditions Mason stresses internal conflict causes government and the state, as well as the fact the frrst part of the book is enriched by the four authors who revolu- issues of na- the Third World has to uphold under forms the government. by focusing on political resources which once the revolutionary movement factors as causes of revolution of legitimacy which are difficult among groups over unequal distribution of economic leading to revolution. to lose mass support, approach highlights to understanding s historical that However, such political the govern- is as aresult of Third World integration into the world economy which causes conflict and resultant revolution against ment Book Reviews 102 dependent development and unequal income and wealth due to disruption of the traditional subsistence economy. Therefore Mason's "internal factors" are closely linked to external factors making it difficult to clearly demarcate between the two, since the internal factB"Sare a product of the external ones. Foltz analyses fourexternal causal factors of revolutions, namely instigation by big powers, tximarily the Soviet Union; contagion from a neighbour who has waged a successful revolution; imitation by a local group of a revolution that has occurred elsewhere; the effects of structural changes in the world, ie changes in international distribution of power among the big powers, and changing economic and ideological factors. The last approach by Laidi argues that the ideology and institutions of Marxism-Leninism have been intemalised by Third World groups to launch revolutionary movements and consolidate their power once in govern- ment In Part Two the case study approach provides a detailed analysis of diverse revolutions, each unique in its own way with common characteristics of national- ism and abhorrence of foreign domination, primarily western. The case studies are representative of different regions of the Third World, offer successful, on-going and stalemated revolutions, and are examined from different perspectives by vari- ous authors. The Ethiopian revolution is a classic illustration of interaction of Mason's intemal-extemal factors, Foltz's external sources and Laidi's Marxism- Leninism as causes of the revolution which overthrew the Emperor's regime. The revolution was due to modernisation through commercial agriculture which deprived peasants of land as a means of subsistence. This was compounded by drought, famine, inflation and the government's inability to satisfy the needs of the poc.-. Iran and Libya are examples of revolutions based on Islam, rejection of monarchical rule and subonlination to the West or E$t. Therefore both intemal and external factB"Sexplain the revolutions here. However, Marxism and Leninism as pee Laidi are not relevant to these cases. Religion is not entertained in Marxist- Leninist ideology, yet in the case of Iran and Libya religion has been instrumental in the revolutionary transformation of both societies. Sendero Luminoso in Peru is another case of a successful revolutionary movement instigated by internal conditions, primarily poverty. It has sustained itself without material support from external powers. However, although it has bor- rowed and successfully utilised the Maoist strategy of guerrilla warfare and adopted radical Marxism as its ideology, it has not been able to overthrow the incumbent regime. The central American case studies of Nicaragua, EI Salvador and Guatemala represent revolutionary movements caused by social and economic inequalities and oppression by undemocratic governments. Here again internal and ext:m1.al Book Reviews is the struggle between Cuba on the OIl(} hand, arolemodelofrevolution 103 factors come into play, plus the influence of Marxism-Leninism. But more important for Latin America, supporting revolutionary movements, and America on the other hand, preventing establishment of radical governments. The Philippines revolu- tionary movements also stems from acute poverty among the masses and the oppression of the Marcos government. The legitimate govemmentofMarcos was overthrown when it lost mass support. The ANC of South Africa and PLO represent special cases of revolutionary movements. Their aim is not to transform the whole social structure but only the political to the majority Africans and Palestinians respectively. system by giving power The case study of UNIT A in Angola highlights an anti-Marxist rebel move- ment challenging the legitimate Marxist-oriented government. However, it has no revolutionary goals. The main argument of the authors in their analysis of revolutions in the Third Wodd is that incumbent governments create conditions conducive to revolutions because of their exploitative policies and oppression-but more important the use of force in response to protests and pressure for change by groups in society. In view of mass poverty and misery arising from structural adjustment programmes undertaken by most Third Wodd governments and declining export revenues of the Third Wodd, the potential for revolutionary upheavals are tremendous. Defmitely, the authors offer a rich, collective effort on revolution and political change which is of considerable interest to students of politics and political economy. Reviewed by Dr Bertha Osei-Hwedie, Lecturer, Politit:a1 and Administrative Studies Department, University of Botswana. Benyamin Chetkow- Yanoov, Social Work Practice: A Systems Approach, The Haworth Press, Inc, New York, 1992, ISBN 1-56024-175-6 (bib), 1-56024-176- 4 (p!b), 149 pp inc index. Price: $24,95 (bib), $14,95 (p!b). The main purpose of the book isto offera systems approach as a toolfor social work and other helping professionals. Through the use of the systems-based model. Chetkow- Yanoov believes that practitioners have a chance not only to develop sensitivity and an ability to create links, but also to sharpen the understanding of how sub-units interact within a large unit. Further, the author demonstrates how practitioners in the field of social work, equipped with the principles of systems, can influence social policy through various processes. He also provides an oppor- tunity to test the applicability of me systems concept to "a variety of micro and macro practice situations". Unlike other authors, Chetkow- Yanoov presents the