Critical Reflections on Black South African Economic Empowerment Through the Lens of Steve Biko’s Philosophy of Black Consciousness

Palesa Charlotte Felix-Faure ()
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Palesa Charlotte Felix-Faure: IDRAC Business School

Chapter Chapter 20 in The Palgrave Handbook of Decolonising Entrepreneurship, 2025, pp 545-564 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter critically examines Black South African economic empowerment through the philosophical framework of Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness. While post-apartheid economic policies, such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), aimed to redress historical injustices, their effectiveness remains contested. Drawing on Biko’s emphasis on psychological liberation, self-reliance, and community-driven development, this study interrogates whether contemporary economic initiatives align with his vision of true empowerment. The paper argues that state-driven top-down approaches have often reinforced elite enrichment rather than fostering broad-based economic autonomy. In contrast, a bottom-up, community-oriented strategy, rooted in cooperatives, social entrepreneurship, and localized control of resources, better aligns with Biko’s ideals. Through a critical analysis of policy outcomes, case studies, and grassroots economic movements, this study explores how Black Consciousness can inform a more transformative economic model that prioritizes self-determination and sustainable development for Black South Africans.

Keywords: Black economic empowerment; Steve Biko; Black Consciousness; Apartheid; South Africa; BEE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-92310-4_20

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-92310-4_20

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