Abstract Though the bantustans were economically impoverished and politically fraudulent, their leaders often claimed to be driving a “development agenda” that valorised the power of the market, and particularly the transformative potential of “entrepreneurship” for the well-being of all black South Africans. Using Lebowa, the Northern Sotho bantustan, as a case study, I examine why “development” became such an important framing concept for the homeland project, how the concept changed over time, and why its application was constrained in Lebowa. I show how the internal debates within “development circles”—from policy planners to black businessmen—showcased varying understandings and beliefs about the nature of Lebowa's economy and how best to overcome its weaknesses. But by treating “development” as more than just a legitimising discourse, I ultimately argue that “development” practices— and their particular focus on creating an “entrepreneurial class”—served to entrench an already existing elite in Lebowa.

中文翻译：

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莱博瓦“创业班”的发展与打造

摘要 尽管班图斯坦人经济贫困，政治欺诈，但他们的领导人经常声称正在推动一项“发展议程”，以提升市场的力量，特别是“企业家精神”对所有南非黑人福祉的变革潜力. 以北索托班图斯坦的莱博瓦为例，我研究了为什么“发展”成为国土项目如此重要的框架概念，这个概念如何随着时间的推移而变化，以及为什么它的应用在莱博瓦受到限制。我展示了“发展圈”内的内部辩论——从政策规划者到黑人商人——如何展示对 Lebowa 经济性质以及如何最好地克服其弱点的不同理解和信念。但是通过将“发展”视为不仅仅是一种合法化的话语，