Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The tradition of liberalism in South Africa has played a significant role in shaping
the country's multi-party democracy. Yet, there are several gaps within the
tradition of liberalism which can be associated with an aversion towards majority
rule, equalising opportunities through affirmative action measures, and a focus
on securing political rights as opposed to substantive rights for all citizens. It is
my contention that weaknesses within the liberal tradition could be minimised if a
more credible conception of liberalism is constructed within the parameters of a
deliberative framework of democracy.
In this dissertation I make an argument for a defensible form of liberalism which
can be achieved through a rational, reflexive discourse-oriented procedure of
deliberative democracy. Deliberative democracy in turn can engender a form of
citizenship which recognises the need for citizens to care, reason and engage
justly in political conversation with others.
KEYWORDS: Liberalism, communitarianism, deliberative democracy and South
Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tradisie van liberalisme in Suid-Afrika het 'n noemenswaardige bydrae
gelewer tot die totstandkoming van die land se veelparty demokratiese bestel.
Afgesien hiervan, verskyn daar vele gapings binne die liberale tradisie wat
hoogstens vereenselwig kan word met 'n teenkanting teen
meerderheidsregering, skepping van gelyke geleenthede deur regstellende
aksies en 'n fokus eerder om politieke regte liewer as ook substantiewe regte vir
alle burgers te bekom. Ek redeneer dat tekortkominge binne die liberale tradisie
geminimaliseer kan word indien 'n meer vededigbare begrip van liberalisme
gekonstrueer word binne die perke van 'n beredeneerde demokratiese
raamwerk.
Ek voer aan dat 'n verdedigbare vorm van liberalisme bewerkstellig kan word
deur 'n rasionele, refleksiewe diskoersgeoriënteerde prosedure van
beredeneerde demokrasie. Op die beurt kan beredeneerde demokrasie 'n vorm
van burgerskap teweegbring wat die belangrikheid van omgee en redenering
erken, en ook terselfdertyd burgers betrek op 'n geregverdige wyse in
gesprekvoeing met ander persone.
SLEUTELWOORDE: Liberalisme, gemeenskapsgerigte liberalisme,
beredeneerde demokrasie en Suid-Afrika.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52736 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Waghid, Yusef |
| Contributors | Van Niekerk, A. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ix, 250 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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