The Devil in the Detail : How the Arms Deal Changed Everything – Paul Holden

Description

The South African ‘Arms Deal’ was never a single event. Rather it was, and still is, a series of scandals and outrages, all contributing towards a dubious momentum that takes South Africa further away from transparent democratic practice. This book is definitely now the book of record about the South African arms deal of the late 1990s. The deal is of interest because it tells the story of how a few very powerful and well-connected people in the anti-apartheid movement decided to use their new found power to enrich themselves. By doing so, they helped condemn those on whose behalf they had purported to fight to their apartheid-era socioeconomic chains.
The book is in some places heavy going, as procurement is hardly the most thrilling topic. However, by and large the authors explain it well in painstaking detail and the arguments are sound. I thought the opportunity cost chapter was particularly good and clear. The only problem is when they start discussing the various conflicts of interest around the deal where it is very easy to get confused. A few diagrams may have helped explain who owned what and was linked to whom.
Softcover trade paperback. Internally pages clean and fresh, cover free from creases as well as the spine, has no folds. Used but could pass for like new.