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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political structure & processes > Political leaders & leadership
President Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa's fifth post-apartheid president. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as the founder of the National Union of Mineworkers. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February 1990, Ramaphosa was at the head of the reception committee that greeted him. Chosen as secretary general of the African National Congress in 1991, Ramaphosa led the ANC's team in negotiating the country's post-apartheid constitution. Thwarted in his ambition to succeed Mandela, he exchanged political leadership for commerce, ultimately becoming one of the country's wealthiest businessmen, a breeder of exotic cattle, and a philanthropist.
This fully revised and extended edition charts Ramaphosa's early life and education, and his career in trade unionism - including the 1987 21-day miners' strike when he committed the union to the wider liberation struggle - politics, and constitution-building. Extensive new chapters explore his contribution to the National Planning Commission, the effects of the Marikana massacre on his political prospects, and the real story behind his rise to the deputy presidency of the country in 2014. They set out the constraints Ramaphosa faced as Jacob Zuma's deputy, and explain how he ultimately triumphed in the election of the ANC's new president in 2017. The book concludes with an analysis of the challenges Ramaphosa faces as the country's fifth post-apartheid president.
Based on numerous personal conversations with Ramaphosa over the past decade, and on rich interviews with many of the subject's friends and contemporaries, this new biography offers a frank appraisal of one of South Africa's most enigmatic political figures.
Within Argentina, Juan Domingo Peron continues to be the subject of
exaggerated and diametrically opposed views. A dictator, a great
leader, the hero of the working classes and Argentina's "first
worker"; a weak and spineless man dependent on his strongerwilled
wife; a Latin American visionary; a traitor, responsible for
dragging Argentina into a modern, socially just 20th century
society or, conversely, destroying for all time a prosperous nation
and fomenting class war and unreasonable aspirations among his
client base. Outside Argentina, Peron remains overshadowed by his
second wife, Evita. The life of this fascinating and unusual man,
whose charisma, political influence and controversial nature
continue to generate interest, remains somewhat of a mystery to the
rest of the world. Peron remains a key figure in Argentine
politics, still able to occupy so much of the political spectrum as
to constrain the development of viable alternatives. Jill Hedges
explores the life and personality of Peron and asks why he remains
a political icon despite the 'negatives' associated with his
extreme personalism.
Early in the morning of 4 March 2015, a fierce knock at the door
heralded the start of a new chapter in Harvey Proctor's almost
continuous relationship with the police and media, when officers
from the Metropolitan Police raided his home in connection with
Operation Midland, Scotland Yard's investigation into allegations
of a historic Westminster paedophile ring.In Credible and True -
words famously used by the police to describe the allegations of
Proctor's traducer - the former Conservative MP talks frankly about
his life in and out of Parliament, from the struggles and
controversy surrounding his resignation in 1987 to the numerous
homophobic attacks endured since - one of which, revealed here in
horrific detail for the first time, was a very nearly successful
attempt on his life.Finally, he speaks candidly about his most
recent embroilment in Operation Midland, of being the victim of a
'homosexual witch-hunt' that has all but destroyed his reputation,
adding to the topical debate about police lack of due process in
the post-Savile world of 'guilty until proven innocent'.
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Bush
(Paperback)
Jean Edward Smith
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R522
Discovery Miles 5 220
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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In Hubris: The Road to Donald Trump, David Owen analyses and
describes the mental and physical condition of US Presidents and UK
Prime Ministers with a particular view that what went before paved
the way to President Trump. Of recent leaders there have been
alcoholics, depressives, narcissists, populists and those affected
by hubris syndrome and driven by their religious beliefs. But
Donald Trump, a world class narcissist, presents a very different
set of issues, as does Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, also
discussed in this revised edition. A trained physician and
neuroscientist, David Owen is uniquely qualified to assess Trump
and Johnson in their political, philosophical and medical contexts.
Both are 'populists' and both have been economical with the truth.
Trump is an inveterate user of social media and some of his
'Tweets' have been branded as outrageous and totally inappropriate
for an American President. In 2020 he has faced an impeachment
trial and in November will face the electorate as he seeks a second
term. Boris Johnson's premiership is in its infancy. He has
concluded the UK's exit from the EU but now has much to achieve to
fulfil the promises made to the electorate in 2019, which gave an
eighty seat majority to the Conservative party. Both Trump and
Johnson have major roles to play in 2020. Trump's Middle East
initiative, his attempts to quell the tension with Iran and North
Korea and his plans for trade with China, will define his first
four years. Johnson's focus must be on maintaining the United
Kingdom, implementing new trade deals, worldwide, post Brexit and
addressing the NHS, regional development and defence spending. The
likely success of both President and Prime Minister is assessed by
David Owen in his customarily incisive way and the book is an
essential read for all with an interest in politics and the
psychology of world leaders. David Owen is the author of several
acclaimed books on politics, political history and the health of
world leaders. He qualified as a doctor in 1962, was a Labour MP
from 1966-81, an SDP MP from 1981-92 and from 1992 sat in the House
of Lords as an Independent Social Democrat. He held several
government posts under Wilson and Callaghan, the last as Foreign
Secretary. Lord Owen continues to speak out on international
affairs and to support research into hubris syndrome and other
psychological conditions as there is 'compelling evidence that the
course of history has been changed ... by the ill health of world
leaders.'
As the party that has won wars, reversed recessions and held prime
ministerial power more times than any other, the Conservatives have
played an undoubtedly crucial role in the shaping of contemporary
British society. And yet, the leaders who have stood at its helm -
from Sir Robert Peel to David Cameron, via Benjamin Disraeli,
Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher - have steered the party
vessel with enormously varying degrees of success.;With the
widening of the franchise, revolutionary changes to social values
and the growing ubiquity of the media, the requirements, techniques
and goals of Conservative leadership since the party's
nineteenth-century factional breakaway have been forced to evolve
almost beyond recognition - and not all its leaders have managed to
keep up.;This comprehensive and enlightening book considers the
attributes and achievements of each leader in the context of their
respective time and diplomatic landscape, offering a compelling
analytical framework by which they may be judged, detailed personal
biographies from some of the country's foremost political critics,
and exclusive interviews with former leaders themselves.; An
indispensable contribution to the study of party leadership,
British Conservative Leaders is the essential guide to
understanding British political history and governance through the
prism of those who created it.;Contributing authors include Matthew
d'Ancona, Tim Bale, Stuart Ball, Jim Buller, John Campbell, John
Charmley, Charles Clarke, Mark Davies, Patrick Diamond, David
Dutton, Dr Mark Garnett, Richard A. Gaunt, William Hague, Angus
Hawkins, Timothy Heppell, Andrew Holt, Michael Howard, Toby S.
James, Nigel Keohane, Jo-Anne Nadler, T. G. Otte, Anne Perkins,
Robert Saunders, Anthony Seldon, Andrew Taylor, D. R. Thorpe and
Alan Wager.
Gough Whitlam, Australia's twenty-first prime minister, swept to
power in December 1972, ending twenty-three years of conservative
rule. In barely three years Whitlam's dramatic reform agenda would
transform Australia. It was an ascendancy bitterly resented by
some, never accepted by others, and ended with dismissal by the
Governor-General just three years latera "an outcome that polarised
debate and left many believing the full story had not been told. In
this much-anticipated second volume of her biography of Gough
Whitlam, Jenny Hocking has used previously unearthed archival
material and extensive interviews with Gough Whitlam, his family,
colleagues and foes, to bring the key players in these dramatic
events to life. The identity of the mysterious 'third man', who
counselled the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, in his decision to
sack the twice-elected Whitlam government and appoint Malcolm
Fraser as prime minister is confirmed here by Kerr himself, as the
High Court justice Sir Anthony Mason, and the full story of his
involvement is now revealed for the first time. From Kerr's private
papers Hocking details months of secret meetings and conversations
between Kerr and Mason in the lead-up to the dismissal, that had
remained hidden for over thirty-seven years. In response to these
revelations Sir Anthony Mason released an extensive public
statement, acknowledging his role and disclosing additional
information that is fully explored in this new edition. This
definitive biography takes us behind the political intrigue to
reveal a devastated Whitlam and his personal struggle in the
aftermath of the dismissal, the unfulfilled years that followed and
his eventual political renewal as Australia's ambassador to UNESCO.
It also tells, through the highs and the lows of his decades of
public life, how Whitlam depended absolutely on the steadfast
support of the love of his life, his wife, Margaret. For this is
also the story of a remarkable marriage and an enduring
partnership. The truth of this tumultuous period in Australia's
history is finally revealed in Gough Whitlam: His Time
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Judging Bush
(Paperback)
Robert Maranto, Tom Lansford, Jeremy Johnson
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R754
R670
Discovery Miles 6 700
Save R84 (11%)
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In Stock
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There is no shortage of opinions on the legacy that George W. Bush
will leave as 43rd President of the United States. Recognizing that
Bush the Younger has been variously described as dimwitted,
opportunistic, innovative, and bold, it would be presumptuous to
draw any hard and fast conclusions about how history will view him.
Nevertheless, it is well within academia's ability to begin to make
preliminary judgments by weighing the evidence we do have and
testing assumptions.
In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the initially
successful military campaign in Afghanistan, Bush and his
administration enjoyed nearly unprecedented popularity. But after
failures in Iraq and in the federal government's response to
Hurricane Katrina, Bush's approval ratings plummeted. Guided by a
new framework, "Judging Bush" boldly takes steps to evaluate the
highs and lows of the Bush legacy according to four types of
competence: strategic, political, tactical, and moral. It offers a
first look at the man, his domestic and foreign policies, and the
executive office's relationship to the legislative and judicial
branches from a distinguished and ideologically diverse set of
award-winning political scientists and White House veterans. Topics
include Bush's decision-making style, the management of the
executive branch, the role and influence of Dick Cheney, elections
and party realignment, the Bush economy, Hurricane Katrina, No
Child Left Behind, and competing treatments of the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Contributors include Lara M. Brown, David B. Cohen, Jeffrey E.
Cohen, Laura Conley, Jack Covarrubias, John J. DiIulio, Jr.,
William A. Galston, Frederick M. Hess, Karen M. Hult, Lori A.
Johnson, Robert G. Kaufman, Anne M. Khademian, Lawrence J. Korb,
Patrick McGuinn, Michael Moreland, Costas Panagopoulos, James P.
Pfiffner, Richard E. Redding, Neil Reedy, Andrew Rudalevige,
Charles E. Walcott, and Shirley Anne Warshaw.
Lessons in Governing is a unique contribution to the study of
Australian policy, politics and government institutions. It
examines the position of Chief of Staff to the Australian Prime
Minister from the perspective of key individuals who have held it.
Exploring the support needs of Australian political leaders, it
traces the forces that have shaped the growth and specialisation of
the Prime Minister's Office since Gough Whitlam first formalised
the appointment of a trusted senior person as head of his private
office in 1972. Individuals in successive PMOs have long been
recognised as key players, but their role has come under greater
scrutiny as the link between prime ministerial effectiveness and
the performance of their private offices has become more widely
understood. While insights and advice have been passed from one
incumbent to the next, there has been no systematic attempt to
understand and document the evolution of the chief-of-staff
position. Lessons in Governing addresses this critical gap in our
understanding of the contemporary practice of Australian political
leadership, reporting the findings of a project designed to develop
an empirically informed understanding of the role of prime
ministerial chiefs of staff as seen by those who held the post.
A complex mix of attitudes, traits, motives, skills, capabilities,
styles and mental mindsets contributes to entrepreneurial
leadership. The current volume brings together perspectives from
leading scholars in the entrepreneurship and management disciplines
that inform our understanding of the nature of, requirements for,
and implications resulting from entrepreneurial leadership. This
important book is organized into eight key leadership imperatives:
igniting entrepreneurial action; establishing entrepreneurial
control; understanding entrepreneurial motivation; encouraging
entrepreneurial ethics; formulating entrepreneurial strategy;
dealing with entrepreneurial failure; creating entrepreneurial
environments and demonstrating leadership and vision. This
collection will serve as a vital reference for scholars, teachers
and doctoral students who wish to read and examine the most
significant literature in the entrepreneurial leadership domain.
The acclaimed autobiography of Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt is
brought to the reader anew in this well-produced edition, inclusive
of all notes and appendices. Written over years and published in
1913, this lengthy yet engrossing biography sees one of the United
States finest Presidents recount his life in his own words.
Theodore Roosevelt sets out events in a way which clarify how he
came to possess his beliefs. We hear of his love of the great
outdoors which would in turn result in the establishment of
America's national parks, and his belief in commerce as an engine
for progress which would lead to the state-sponsored construction
of the Panama Canal during his presidency. Seldom straying to
dryness or heady description of the many and varied events of his
life, Theodore Roosevelt instead imbues every chapter with keynote
personality and liveliness. Personal letters with influential
figures are shared, placing the reader deep in the political world
which this popular, charismatic leader was immersed.
Shinoda provides an analytical framework for examining the role
of the prime minister in Japan's political decision making. He
shows that two dimensions of fraction within the government and the
ruling party--interagency rivalry and intraparty factions--confront
the prime minister whenever a major policy issue needs to be
resolved. Despite these obstacles, Shinoda shows that the prime
minister can be effective.
First, Shinoda identifies the sources of power available to
Japanese prime ministers--some from legal authorities and others
from informal sources. Because prime ministers must rely on
informal sources of power to effectively utilize institutional
sources of power, their effectiveness varies depending on their
background, experience, political skills, and personality. Shinoda
identifies six major informal sources of power: power base within
the ruling party, control over the bureaucracy, ties with the
opposition parties, public support, business support, and
international reputation. The national leader's leadership style
can be defined depending on which sources of power they utilize in
the policy process. He presents both successful and unsuccessful
case studies--Hashimoto's administrative reform, Takeshita's tax
reform, and Nakasone's administrative reform-- illustrate how
different prime ministers have succeeded or failed in applying
their political resources. After examining these three case
studies, Shinoda uncovers four types of leadership among Japanese
prime ministers. A major analytical resource for scholars and
students of Japanese politics and political economy and comparative
politics.
In Dead Presidents, public radio host and reporter Brady Carlson
takes readers on an epic trip to presidential gravesites,
monuments, and memorials from sea to shining sea. With an engaging
mix of history and contemporary reporting, Carlson explores the
death stories of our greatest leaders, and shows that the ways we
memorialize our presidents reveal as much about us as they do about
the men themselves.
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