How democratic is the African National Congress?

Journal of Southern African Studies

Volumn 31, Issue 4, 2005, Pages 719-736

  Butler, Anthony ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN   (South Africa)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AUTHORITARIANISM; DEMOCRACY; LIBERALISM; POLITICAL IDEOLOGY;

EID: 31844447760     PISSN: 03057070     EISSN: 14653893     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03057070500370472     Document Type: Article

References (134)

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2. A. Butler, 'South Africa's Political Futures', Government and Opposition, 38, 1 (2003), pp. 93-112
3. R. Suttner, 'Culture(s) of the African National Congress of South Africa: Imprint of Exile Experiences', in H. Melber (ed.), Limits to Liberation in Southern Africa (Pretoria, Human Sciences Research Council, 2003), pp. 178-99
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7. V. Randall and L. Svasand, 'Introduction: The Contribution of Parties to Democracy and Democratic Consolidation', Democratization, 9, 3 (2002), pp. 1-10; p. 3.
8. J. Netshitenzhe, 'The National Democratic Revolution - Is it Still on Track?', Umrabulo, 1 (1996), Section 2.2.1.
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10. ANC, 'Tasks of the NDR and the Mobilisation of the Motive Forces', ANC discussion document, Umrabulo, 8 (May 2000), Section C, available at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/ngcouncils/docs2000/discuss1.html, accessed on 28 October 2004.
11. Ibid.
12. T. Lodge, 'The ANC and the Development of Party Politics in Modern South Africa', Journal of Modern African Studies, 42, 2 (2004), p. 216.
13. F. Cachalia, Good Governance Needs an Effective Parliament', Umrabulo, 11 (2nd Quarter 2001), available at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pubs/ umrabulo/umrabulo11f.html, accessed on 26 October 2004.
14. Lodge, 'The ANC', p. 209.
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16. Constitutional Court, Minister of Health v. Treatment Action Campaign (No. 2), 2002 (5) SA 721 (CC) paragraphs 96-114
17. M. Heywood, 'Preventing Mother-to-child HIV Transmission in South Africa: Background, Strategies and Outcomes of the Treatment Action Campaign Case Against the Minister of Health', South African Journal on Human Rights, 19, 2 (2003), pp. 278-315.
18. Republic of South Africa, Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 (Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, 1996) S85(2).
19. M. Burch and I. Holliday, 'An Executive Office in All But Name: The Prime Minister's and Cabinet Offices in the UK', Parliamentary Affairs, 52 (1999), pp. 32-45.
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21. Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Integrated Democratic Governance: A Restructured Presidency at Work (Pretoria, Communications Research Unit of the Presidency, 2001) available at http://www.gov.za/ president/index.html, accessed on 24 October 2003.
22. R. Southall, Democracy in Africa: Moving Beyond a Difficult Legacy (Cape Town, Human Sciences Research Council, 2003).
23. A. Przeworski, M. Alvarez, J.A. Cheibub and F. Limongi, Democracy and Development: Political Institutions and Well-being in the World, 1950-1990 (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2000), pp. 134-6.
24. K. Grint, The Arts of Leadership (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2000)
25. A. Butler, 'South Africa's HIV/AIDS Policy, 1994-2004: How Can it Be Explained?', African Affairs, 104, 417 (2005), pp. 591-614.
26. GCIS, 'Statement by Cabinet on HIV/AIDS', (Pretoria, GCIS, 17 April 2002)
27. GCIS, 'Special Cabinet Meeting Statement: Enhanced Programme against HIV and AIDS' (Pretoria, GCIS, 8 August 2003).
28. W. Mpthapo, 'On the Question of Collective Leadership', Umrabulo, 13 (December 2001), available at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pubs/ umrabulo/umrabulo3.html, accessed on 14 February 2005
29. ANC Gauteng Province, 'Build and Safeguard the Unity of the Movement', discussion document of the Provincial Executive Committee (September 2004), available at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/discussion/gauteng/ pec_doc.htm, accessed on 14 February 2005.
30. J.J. Linz and A. Stepan, 'Towards Consolidated Democracies', in L. Diamond, M.F. Plattner, Yun-han Chu, and Hung-mao Tien (eds), Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies (Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997), p. 15.
31. Ibid., p. 6.
32. Turnout has been estimated at 86 per cent of the voting age population in 1994, 71.8 per cent in 1999, and 57.8 per cent in 2004. J. Piombo, 'The Results of Election '04: Looking Back, Stepping Forward', Centre for Social Science Research Working Paper No. 86 (Cape Town, University of Cape Town, Centre for Social Science Research, 2004), p. 6, available at http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/cssr/pubs.html, accessed 15 February 2004.
33. R. Mattes, C. Keulder, A. Chikwana, C. Africa and Y. Davids, 'Democratic Governance in South Africa: The People's View', Afrobarometer Working Papers No. 24 (January 2003), available at http://www.afrobarometer.org/ papers/AfropaperNo24.pdf, accessed on 21 October 2004.
34. This results in particular from ambiguous framing and imperfect translatability of questions, and from analysts' discretion to emphasise different sides of a response scale.
35. R. Mattes, 'South Africa: Democracy without the People', Journal of Democracy, 13, 1 (2002), pp. 22-36
36. R. Mattes, Y. Davids, and C. Africa, 'Views of Democracy in South Africa and the Region', Afrobarometer Working Papers No. 8 (October 2000), pp. 12-13, available at http://www.afrobarometer.org/papers/ AfropaperNo8.pdf, accessed on 16 February 2005.
37. Mattes et al., 'Views of Democracy in South Africa', p. 7.
38. Butler, 'South Africa's Political Futures', p. 112.
39. A. Przeworski and F. Limongi, 'Modernization: Theories and Facts', World Politics, 49 (1997), pp. 155-83
40. Przeworski et al., Democracy and Development.
41. V. Maphai and K. Gottschalk, 'Parties, Politics and the Future of Democracy', in D. Everatt and V. Maphai (eds), The Real State of the Nation (Johannesburg, Interfund, 2003), pp. 51-74.
42. Trevor Manuel topped the ANC's internal National Executive Committee elections in December 2002, despite widespread public dissatisfaction with overall macro-economic performance - see Mattes et al., 'Democratic Governance in South Africa', p. 21.
43. Mattes, 'South Africa: Democracy without the People'.
44. R. Suttner, 'Democratic Transition and Consolidation in South Africa: The Advice of "the experts"', Current Sociology, 52, 5 (2004), pp. 755-73.
45. For example, J. Slovo, 'The South African Working Class and the National Democratic Revolution', Umsebenzi Discussion Pamphlet (South African Communist Party, 1988), available at http://www.sacp.org.za/docs/history/ ndr.html, accessed on 28 October 2004.
46. S. Lukes, Marxism and Morality (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1987), p. 71.
47. A. Ryan (ed.), The Idea of Freedom (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1979)
48. J. Gray and Z. Pelczynski (eds), Conceptions of Liberty in Political Philosophy (London, Athlone Press, 1984).
49. Lukes, Marxism and Morality, p. 79.
50. S. Nolutshungu, Changing South Africa: Political Considerations (Manchester, Manchester University Press 1982).
51. Slovo, 'South African Working Class'.
52. Ibid.
53. B. Turok, 'What is Wrong?', Memorandum by Ben Turok before the ANC's Morogoro Conference, April 1969, available at http://www.anc.org.za/ ancdocs/history/conf/turok6904.html, accessed on 27 October 2004.
54. African National Congress, Strategy and Tactics of the ANC (April-May 1969), available at http://www.anc. org.za/ancdocs/history/ stratact.html, accessed on 27 October 2004.
55. J. Cronin, 'Thinking about the Concept "National Democratic Revolution"', Umrabulo, 1 (4th Quarter 1996).
56. Netshitenzhe, 'National Democratic Revolution', Section 1.
57. ANC, 'Tasks of the NDR'.
58. Nelson Mandela in The Washington Post, 26 June 1990
59. cited in C. Spiess, 'One-Party-Dominance in Changing Societies: The ANC and INC in Comparative Perspective', Heidelberg Papers in South Asian and Comparative Studies No. 10 (South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, October 2002), p. 15.
60. Netshitenzhe, 'National Democratic Revolution', Section 3.
61. Anonymous, Building Socialism Now: Preparing for the New Millennium (COSATU and the SACP, 1999) Chapter 8; this formulation appears to be Cronin's.
62. Controversy surrounds the definition and measurement of unemployment and poverty. See C. Simkins, 'Employment and Unemployment in South Africa', Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 22, 2 (2004), pp. 253-78.
63. ANC, 'People's Power in Action': A new preface to The Strategy and Tactics of The ANC (ANC, 2002).
64. D.T. McKinley, 'A Polemical Reply to Cronin' (May 2002), available at http://spip.red.m2014.net/article.php3?id_article=68, accessed on 30 October 2004. 'Neo-liberal' is an abusive rather than analytical category in leftist debate in South Africa.
65. J. Cronin, 'Here Comes the Sun - Drawing Lessons from Joe Slovo's "No Middle Road"', African Communist, 163 (1st Quarter 2003), available at http://www.sacp.org.za/ac/ac163g.html, accessed on 30 October 2004.
66. J. Moleketi and J. Jele, 'Two Strategies of the National Liberation Movement in the Struggle for the Victory of the National Democratic Revolution' (No publisher named, 2002).
67. Editorial, African Communist, 162 (4th Quarter 2002), available at http://www.sacp.org.za/ac/ac162.html, accessed on 30 October 2004.
68. J. Netshitenzhe, 'The NDR and Class Struggle: An Address to the Executive Committee of COSATU', The Shop Steward, 9, 1 (March 2000), available at http://www.cosatu.org.za/shop/shop0901/shop0901-06.html, accessed on 28 October 2004.
69. Ibid.
70. ANC, 'Tasks of the NDR'.
71. Ibid., Sections A4, A6.
72. J. Netshitenzhe, Statement at the ANC's 51st National Conference, December 2002,
73. cited in Agence France Press, 'ANC Positions itself Ideologically in Postapartheid South Africa', available at http://www.aegis.com/ news/afp/ 2002/AFP21267.html, accessed on 30 October 2004.
74. Slovo, 'South African Working Class'.
75. Y. Meny, Government and Politics in Western Europe, 2nd edition (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 49.
76. A. Przeworski, Capitalism and Social Democracy (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1985).
77. R. Michels, Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy (New York, Free Press, 1962) [1911].
78. Meny, Government and Politics, pp. 48-51.
79. O. Kirchheimer, 'The Transformation of the Western European Party System', in J. La Palombra and M. Weiner (eds), Political Parties and Political Development (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1966), pp. 177-200.
80. P. Mair and R. Katz (eds), How Parties Organise (London, Sage, 1994).
81. Lodge, 'The ANC', p. 192.
82. V. Randall and L. Svasland, 'Political Parties and Democratic Consolidation in Africa', Democratization, 9, 3 (2002), pp. 30-52, p. 47, emphasis in original.
83. A. Jones, 'Political Parties and Plural Politics', The Round Table, 357 (2000), pp. 557-62; p. 561.
84. Mbeki's ministerial appointments and a perceived prevalence of Xhosa speakers in some departments has led to uneasy jests about 'Xhosa-Nostra' and 'REX' (Robben Eiland Xhosa).
85. R. Kothari, 'The Congress System Revisited', Asian Survey, 14, 12 (1974), pp. 1,035-54.
86. J. Netshitenzhe, 'The Courage to Search for the New: Personal Reflections on Joe Slovo's "No Middle Road"', African Communist, 163 (1st Quarter 2003), available at http://www.sacp.org.za/ac/ac163.html, accessed on 30 October 2004.
87. Cronin, Interview with Sheehan.
88. Southall, Democracy in Africa, p. 30.
89. R. Southall, 'Post-Colonial Legitimacy in Lesotho', in H. Melber (ed.), Limits to Liberation in Southern Africa (Cape Town, Human Sciences Research Council, 2003), p. 129.
90. Southall, Democracy in Africa, pp. 31-6.
91. Suttner, 'Culture(s) of the ANC'.
92. Turok, 'What is Wrong?'
93. Suttner, 'Culture(s) of the ANC', p. 188.
94. R. Suttner, 'Review of Saul Dubow, The African National Congress' (H-SAfrica, H-Net Reviews, January 2003), available at http://www.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=297501047652081, accessed on 22 October 2004.
95. Suttner, 'Culture(s) of the ANC'.
96. Cited in A. Nash, 'Mandela's Democracy', Monthly Review, 50, 11 (April 1999), available at http://www. monthlyreview.org/498nash.htm, accessed on 30 October 2004.
97. Lodge, 'The ANC', p. 208.
98. Maphai and Gottschalk, 'Parties, Politics and the Future'.
99. A. Ranney, 'Candidate Selection', in D. Butler, H. Penniman and A. Ranney (eds), Democracy at the Polls (Washington DC, American Enterprise Institute, 1981), p. 103.
100. A. Ware, Political Parties and Party Systems (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996).
101. Lodge, 'The ANC'
102. Cronin Interview with Sheehan
103. McKinley, 'Democracy, Power and Patronage', pp. 183-4.
104. ANC, 'Organisational Democracy and Discipline in the Movement', Umrabulo, 3 (1997), available at http:// www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/ discussion/discipline.html, accessed on 28 October 2004.
105. ANC, 'Challenges of the Leadership in the Current Phase', discussion document for the ANC national conference, Umrabulo, 3 (1997).
106. On whether Mbeki instigated the investigation, see the exchange between Luthuli House and the editor of The Economist, in ANC Today, 5, 3 (28 January 2005) and
107. ANC Today, 5, 4 (4 February 2005), archived at http://www.anc.org.za, accessed on 15 February 2005.
108. Cronin, Interview with Sheehan.
109. T.W. Nxesi, 'Play the Ball not the Player', press release by the general secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (26 July 2002) available at http://www.sadtu.org.za/press/2001/26-7-2002.0.htm, accessed on 30 October 2004.
110. Cited in J. Saul, 'Starting from Scratch? A Reply to Jeremy S. Cronin', Monthly Review, 54, 7 (December 2002), my emphasis. Available at http://www.monthlyreview.org/1202saul.htm, accessed on 30 October 2004.
111. ANC, 'Through the Eye of a Needle: Choosing the Best Cadres to Lead Transformation', discussion document of the National Working Committee of the ANC, Umrabulo, 11 (2001), available at http://www.anc.org.za/ ancdocs/pubs/umrabulo/umrabulolld.html, accessed on 28 October 2004.
112. Ibid., Paragraphs 48-50, 57, 3, 4.
113. Ibid., Paragraphs 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 68, 75.
114. Ibid., Paragraph 66.
115. Ibid., Paragraph 63.
116. T. Mbeki, 'The Voices of Our Members Must Be Heard', ANC Today, 2, 47 (22 November 2002).
117. 'ANC "Tradition" of Succession a Recent Invention', Business Day, 22 February 2005.
118. ANC, 'Through the Eye', Paragraph 72.
119. On the consequences of limited contestation, see Butler, 'South Africa's HIV/AIDS Policy'.
120. Cachalia, 'Good Governance'.
121. A. Butler, 'The Negative and Positive Impacts of HIV/AIDS on Democracy in South Africa', Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 23, 1 (2005), pp. 3-26.
122. Suttner, 'Democratic Transition and Consolidation', pp. 766-8.
123. T.J. Pempel, (ed.), Uncommon Democracies: The One-Party Dominant Regimes (London, Cornell University Press, 1990). In sub-Saharan Africa political parties are now numerous but there is a high degree of concentration around only one, or occasionally two, effective parties.
124. Spiess, 'One-party-dominance', p. 15.
125. Party dominance may be deepened by nationalists' emphasis on solidarity and collectivism, and their conceptualisation of collective agency as a general will given natural expression through a unitary political movement. Where this understanding of agency has coincided with the international communist movement's concept of 'people's democracy', they have become mutually supporting. Southall, Democracy in Africa, p. 4.
126. Randall and Svasland, 'Introduction', p. 7.
127. Jones, 'Political Parties and Plural Politics', p. 558.
128. Przeworski et al., Democracy and Development, p. 27.
129. Randall and Svasland, 'Introduction', p. 8
130. Southall, Democracy in Africa, pp. 20-21.
131. A. Adrian and S. Barnes, 'The Dominant Party System: A Neglected Model of Democratic Stability', Journal of Politics, 36 (1974), p. 598.
132. Randall and Svasland, 'Introduction', p. 8.
133. Ibid., 'Political Parties', p. 37.
134. S. Mainwaring, 'Party Systems in the Third Wave', Journal of Democracy, 9, 3 (1998), pp. 67-81.