Co-operatives and contract mining in the Zimbabwe Chrome mining industry: The paradox of industrial democracy

Abstract

In Zimbabwe, post-independence State policies were formulated and believed to redress past injustices and economic imbalances through a socialist model. Included in this new, apparently radical approach in the transitional period were producer cooperatives which were no longer proscribed but actively promoted under the new socialist ideology. So far, the exact impact of these policies and the effectiveness of the cooperative strategy under the existing socio-economic structure have not been quantified and critically assessed. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to make a contribution in this direction with a view to giving some pointers for the reappraisal of State policies and priorities in economic development and socialist transformation. Although taking a sectoral approach, it is hoped the paper raises important issues not only pertaining to the chrome mining industry, but also of immediate relevance to the entire economy. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part, which deals with problem identification and methodological issues, seeks to put chrome mining cooperatives in their proper socio-economic context and to justify the method of analysis adopted in the second part. The second part of the paper consists of the presentation and analysis of the research findings, the summary, conclusion and recommendations.