Simone Claar is post-doc researcher at the Working Group Globalization & Politics at the University of Kassel and Senior Policy Advisor for Teacher Education at the German Education Union, Germany. Alongside a previous position as Researcher in the Department of Political Science at the University of Kassel, she worked as a Research Associate at Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Her research interests include capitalism, emerging markets, development and trade, class analysis and the postcolonial state.

Chapter 1: Introduction and Theoretical Focus

Scope of the Book and the Research Question

Theoretical Framework

Historical-Materialist Policy Analysis and South Africa's Specific Situation

Structure of the Book

Part 1: South Africa's Political Economy

Chapter 2: National Context: Contemporary South African Capitalism, the State and its policy

Point of Departure: Economic and Trade Policy during Apartheid (1948-1990)

From RDP to AsgiSA: All about Growth

Black Economic Empowerment

Second Decade: Growth, Industrial and Trade Policy

Economic and Political Turmoil

Chapter 3: Transnational Context: International Trade Relations

South Africa and the WTO

South Africa and BRICS

South Africa in Africa and the Region

South Africa's Trade Relations with the European Union

Part II: South Africa's Class Relations in Economic and Trade Policy

Chapter 4: South African Capitalist Classes: from Mining to Agriculture

Mining Capital as the Core of the South African Economy

Manufacturing Capital - Vocal and Organised?

Finance and Banking Capital

Agricultural Capital

Business Representation: Clash of Capital Interests?

Chapter 5: South Africa's Political Elite and its Political Objectors

The ANC as the Political Elite and its Relation to Workers and Capitalists

The Alliance Partners: the SACP and COSATU

Chapter 6: South Africa's Popular Classes

Working Classes, their Fractions and Representatives

Subaltern Classes beyond Working Class

Chapter 7: South Africa's Economic State Apparatuses

The Presidency and National Treasury

Department of Trade and Industry and Further Relevant Departments

Parliament and NEDLAC

Beyond the State Apparatus: Trade Policy Related Organisations

Part III: Reconstructing the Process: South Africa's Classes and the Economic Partnership Agreement

Chapter 8: The EU-SADC EPA: Road Map and Conflicts (2006-2010)

Chapter 9: Class Fractions Perspectives on the Conflicting EPA Issues

Conflicts over Trade in Goods

Conflicts over Deep Integration Issues

The (Unspoken) Class Compromise

Chapter 10: Restart of the EU-SADC EPA Negotiation and its Outcome

The Final EPA: Changes in the Relationship of Forces

Why a EU-SADC EPA Agreement?

Chapter 11: Conclusion

Neo-Poulantzian Perspectives on the South African State

The (Non) Future of the New Trade Agenda?

This book provides an innovative perspective on class dynamics in South Africa, focusing specifically on how different interests have shaped economic and trade policy. As an emerging market, South African political and economic actions are subject to the attention of international trade policy. Claar provides an in-depth class analysis of the contradictory negotiation processes that occurred between South Africa and the European Union on Economic-Partnership Agreements (EPA), examining the divergent roles played by the political and economic elite, and the working class. The author considers their relationships with the new global trade agenda, as well as their differing standpoints on the EPA.