Policy Impact of Democracy in South Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Policy Impact of Democracy in South Africa
Author:	Cloete, Fanie
Year:	1991
Periodical:	Africa Insight
Volume:	21
Issue:	4
Pages:	222-232
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	democracy Politics and Government Ethnic and Race Relations
Abstract:	This article explores a few dimensions of the causal relationship between policy choices by political actors and institutional development in South Africa. More specifically, the author devotes attention to certain societal constraints in South Africa as well as to certain policy choices open to political actors that will substantially influence the (possible) development of democracy there. These constraints are of a demographic, socioeconomic and political nature. There are also forces facilitating the move towards more democratic government in the country: South Africa has a well-developed economic infrastructure, and the principal actors in the negotiation process (the ANC/SACP (South African Communist Party) and the National Party) realize that they will have to tolerate each other, that there is no feasible alternative to a negotiated settlement, and that a government of national unity/reconciliation is at the moment the best option. Ref.