South African Economic Policy Under Democracy
Edited by Janine Aron, Brian Kahn, and Geeta Kingdon.
Published by OUP, March 2009:
Description: South Africa experienced a momentous change of government
from the Apartheid regime to its first democratic government in 1994.
This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of South
Africa's economic policies and performance under democracy. The book
includes a stand-alone introduction and economic overview, as well as
chapters on growth, monetary and exchange rate policy and fiscal policy,
on capital flows and trade policy, on investment and industrial and
competition policy, on the effect of AIDs in the macroeconomy, and on
unemployment, education and inequality and poverty. Each chapter, and
the overview chapter in particular, also addresses prospects for the
future. The authors are a set of eminent international and South African
specialists in their fields. The book is edited by two UK-based
academics and a senior SA policy-maker from the central bank. This
accessible book should be of interest to academics, policy-makers, the
technical staff of international agencies and government ministries,
financial and business sector economists, undergraduate and graduate
students and the general reader concerned about South Africa’s economic
prospects.
Contents:
1. South African Economic Policy under Democracy : Overview and Prospects Editors: Janine Aron (University of Oxford), Brian Kahn (South African Reserve Bank) and Geeta Kingdon (University of London)
2. Accounting for South Africa’s Growth Revival Stan Du Plessis and Ben Smit (University of Stellenbosch)
3. The Development of Transparent and Effective Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy Janine Aron (University of Oxford) and John Muellbauer (University of Oxford))
4. Transforming Fiscal Governance Tania Ajam (AFREC and Financial and Fiscal Commission of South Africa) and Janine Aron (University of Oxford)
5. Capital Flows, Financial Markets and the External Balance Sheet Jonathan Leape and Lynne Thomas (London School of Economics)
6. Trade Policy in South Africa Lawrence Edwards (University of Cape Town, Rashad Cassim (Statistics South Africa) and Dirk Ernst van Seventer (TIPS, South Africa)
7. Capital Formation in South Africa Johannes W. Fedderke (University of Cape Town)
8. The Evolution and Impact of Industrial and Competition Policies Simon Roberts (Competition Commission of South Africa) and Anthony Black (University of Cape Town)
9. The Macroeconomic Impact of AIDS and ART Ben Smit and Linette Ellis (University of Stellenbosch)
10. A Long-run Perspective on Contemporary Poverty and Inequality Dynamics Murray Leibbrandt, Ingrid Woolard and Christopher Woolard (University of Cape Town)
11. Unemployment: South Africa's Achilles’ Heel Geeta Kingdon (University of London) and John Knight (University of Oxford))
12. The Persistence of Inequalities in Education Servaas van der Berg (University of Stellenbosch)
From the Preface:
MUSIC AND ECONOMICS
The editorial royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Buskaid Trust, a musical charity dependent on private donations, which supports a music school in Diepkloof, Soweto dedicated to teaching stringed instruments to local township children (http://www.buskaid.org.za). The charity was established by professional viola player, Rosemary Nalden, in 1992 and the Buskaid Music School subsequently opened in 1997. Ten years on it has 70 children attending its music school, its own workshop for repairing instruments, an ‘in-house’ teacher-training programme and a string ensemble that has toured internationally, most recently performing at the Proms in Britain in 2007 with the English Baroque Soloists. Buskaid has recorded classical music CDs, and music in South Africa’s rich tradition, such as its own Kwela arrangements.
This charity, and others like it, could form the seed for greater access for disadvantaged children in South Africa to a musical education. Inspiration for the democratic access to music education comes from the pioneering scheme in Venezuela, the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela — known popularly as el sistema. Founded in 1967 by the economist and musician, Jose Antonio Abreu, el sistema, now state-funded, offers free instruments and musical training, and, like Buskaid, promotes responsibility, teamwork, community and work ethic through the joy and achievement of orchestral playing. Currently 250,000 children benefit, with 15,000 music teachers, and 600 orchestras throughout Venezuela, including the famous Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. The current annual cost to the Venezuelan state is about £15m, equivalent to 0.04 of one percent of South Africa’s 2007/8 government expenditure. Britain, Scotland and the county of Los Angeles recently adopted the methods of el sistema in pilot projects, to provide underprivileged children with a sense of purpose and aspiration.
This book recognises the importance of beneficial social networks, and of the commitment of state funding to long-term educational and social projects for the disadvantaged.
Janine Aron September, 2008