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Who mines what belongs to all? A historical analysis of the relationship between the state and capital in the South African mining industry

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the relationship between the state and mining capital in South Africa
since the beginning of gold mining. It provides a historical analysis centered around the
notion that neither state nor capital have been able to dominate each other wholly but
retained their respective relative strength and independence. By applying a qualitative
approach, this thesis seeks to determine whether this notion still holds true today, how the
relationship between the state and mining capital has evolved over time and by what
factors was it determined. I suggest that structurally the nature of the state-capital
relationship continues to endure fifteen years after apartheid.
Accordingly the thesis is organized in terms of two critical junctures, one in the 1920s
and one in the long 1970s when the balance of power between the state and mining
capital experienced a number of shifts. Recent developments in post-apartheid South
Africa seem, as of now at least, to represent more of a continuation of the shift that
materialized in the long 1970s rather than a new conjuncture of its own or one in the
making. Contrasting these findings with the adamant calls of the ANCYL for a
nationalization of mines indicates that nationalization as the ANCYL foresees it does not
seem to be informed by a historical understanding of the mining capital-state relations
and that it is ceteris paribus unlikely to materialize. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die verhouding tussen die staat en mynbou kapitaal in Suid-Afrika
sedert die begin van die goudwedloop. Op grond van ’n historiese oorsig word daar aan
die hand gedoen dat nòg die staat nóg mynbou kapitaal mekaar oorheers het en dat
hierdie tendens vyftien jaar na apartheid steeds voortduur.
Die magsbalans tussen die staat en kapitaal word egter gekenmerk deur twee
uiteenlopende periodes, naamlik die Twintiger jare en die langdurige Sewentigs.
Verwikkelinge in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika suggereer ’n voortsetting van die dinamika
van die Sewentigs. Volgens onlangse uitlatings deur die ANC Jeugliga blyk dit asof die
beweging nie bewus is van die kompleksiteit van hierdie historiese verhouding nie en dat
dit dus hoogs onwaarskynlik is dat nasionalisering in terme van ANC Jeugliga beleid die
lig sal sien.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6807
Date03 1900
CreatorsZogg, Philipp Emanuel
ContributorsVan der Westhuizen, Janis, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Political Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatix, 119 p.
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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