Liberals, Marxists, and Nationalists

Liberals, Marxists, and Nationalists

$105.00

SKU: 9780230600591
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This book examines conflicting historical interpretations of the origins, evolution, and ending of apartheid.  Lipton argues & provides detailed supporting evidence that apartheid was ended by a relatively non-violent process of reform that began around 1970, and culminated in the negotiations following President de Klerk’s release of Nelson Mandela from prison, and his reinstatement of the African National Congress and other organizations, in February 1990.

Merle Lipton is Senior Research Fellow in Southern African Studies, University of Sussex.

“To write this book demanded courage, because the evidence amassed critiques not merely the argument but the academic honesty of some of the leading ‘neo-Marxist revisionists’.  For such a volume to make its case convincingly, meticulous citation and fair representation of arguments and evidence are critical if the critic is to persuade her readers and reviewers of the accuracy of her judgements of the role and behaviour of historians in shaping perceptions about South Africa’s past.  Merle Lipton proves that she has the qualifications for the task, bringing to bear a lifetime’s knowledge of the literature.”–Anthony Lemon, Masfield College, Oxford
“This is a fine book, well written and based upon a lifetime’s knowledge of the literature. It is also provocative, challenging Liberals as well as Marxists, and based on the understanding that …. Final definitive versions of the past are not possible, and that history will remain in a continuous process of revision” —International Affairs“This book is timely and provocative. Lipton was a pioneer among those historians who argue, from the 1960s, that economic growth was placing strains on apartheid and would eventually undermine it …. At a time of resurgent ethnicism … Lipton reminds us of the importance of a liberal interpretation in safeguarding liberty in the future” —Focus“Merle Lipton is a major liberal protagonist in the late-twentieth century Marxist-liberal debate about South African politics and society. The book is valuable as an insider’s view of exchanges which influenced the works of many students of apartheid. As such, it provides a valuable perspective on scholarly crafts …. [and] induces questions about academic methods and morals. A great deal is packed into this short volume….The book is well-written and well-organised and the presentation facilitates study.”–Historia

Is Historical Truth Possible and Does History Matter? * The Debate about SA I: Selected Issues before 1910 * The Debate about SA II: Selected Issues, 1910-1990 * The Debate about SA III: Other Factors Undermining Apartheid * Theory, Politics, and Psychology of the Debate * How Historians Shape the Future * Appendix to Chapter 3

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Weight 1 oz
Dimensions 1 × 6 × 9 in