Authoritarian control of the political arena -- Violence as the cornerstone of Mugabe's strategy of political survival -- Militant civil society and the emergence of a credible opposition -- The media battlefield : from skirmishes to full-fledged war -- The judiciary : from resistance to subjugation -- The land "reform" charade and the tragedy of famine -- The state bourgeoisie and the plunder of the economy -- The international community and the crisis in Zimbabwe -- Conclusion : crisis averted or merely postponed?