On cover: Degree of Master of Philosophy in Political Management. / Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Before a country can have democracy a consolidated democracy, democracy
is a prerequisite. The term democracy can be traced back to ancient Greece
and the studies of the consolidation of democracy dates since the transition of
the seventies. The notion of democratic consolidation has been defined by
authors as a process of making new democracies secure, deepening
institutions and liberties and making them immune against the threat of
authoritarian regression. But authors have also found that there are socioeconomic
conditions favourable to consolidation such as sufficient affluence.
This study compares Botswana and South Africa's democracy, the reason
being to find out which is the most consolidated and why? To compare these
two countries' democracies, the study focuses on the following; affluence,
institutions suitable for democracy, free and fair elections and electoral
systems.
There are similarities and differences between these countries. They share
British parliamentary traditions. Both practice multiparty elections but neither
experienced turnovers, for example; Botswana started practicing from 1965
until now, while South Africa started in 1994. The major institutional
difference is the electoral system. Their ratings in the human development
indexes are declining, but South Africa scores better. The other major
difference is in their Freedom House ratings, where South Africa's rating is
better than Botswana's. The issue of HIV/AIDS infections remains a big
problem for these countries. To what extent this would impact on democracy
is uncertain as little research of this kind has been done.
In concluding this study, it is explicitly stated that these countries are free
electoral democracies but not consolidated yet, because they have not passed
Huntington's "two turnover test", and their socio-economic conditions are also problematic. At this stage, however South Africa is slightly better off for
the reasons cited above. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Demokrasie is "n voorvereiste vir "n gekonsolideerde demokrasie. Hoewel
die term demokrasie sy oorsprong het by die antieke Grieke dateer studies
oor die konsolidasie van demokrasieë slegs terug na die sewentigerjare van
die 20ste eeu. Demokratiese konsolidasie verwys na die proses waarvolgens
nuwe demokrasieë na hul aanvanklike vestiging teen die gevaar van
outoritêre verval beveilig word deur die daarstelling van demokratiese
instellings en vryhede. Navorsing het bevind dat sekere sosio-ekonomiese
faktore of omstandighede soos byvoorbeeld voldoende ekonomiese
voorspoed die konsolidasie van jong demokrasieë bevorder.
Die studie behels "n vergelyking van die demokrasieë van Suid-Afrika en
Botswana ten opsigte van hulle graad van demokratiese konsolidasie en die
redes daarvoor. Die studie fokus in die verband op aspekte soos: ekonomiese
voorspoed, die demokratiese aard van hulle instellings, vrye en regverdige
verkiesings en hulle kiesstelsels.
Daar is beide ooreenkomste en verskille tussen die twee state. Beide is gesetel
in die Britse parlementêre stelsel. Beide gebruik sedert hulle vestiging as
demokrasieë veelparty vekiesings - Botswana sedert 1965 en Suid-Afrika
sedert 1994. Die belangrikste institusionele verskil is in hulle kiesstelsels
geleë. Hoewel die lande se klassifikasies beide in die indekse sowel as die
verslae oor menslike ontwikkeling daal, vaar Suid-Afrika steeds beter as
Botswana. Die duidelikste verskil is ten opsigte van hulle Freedom House
klassifikasie. Die kwessie van MIVjVIGS-infeksies bly steeds "n belangrike
probleem vir beide state. Vanweë die gebrek aan navorsing in die verband is
dit onseker in watter mate die VIGS-kwessie demokrasie in die lande in die
toekoms gaan beinvloed. Die gevolgtrekking van die tesis is dat hoewel beide state vrye demokrasieë is
hulle nog nie as gekonsolideerde demokrasieë geklassifiseer kan word nie.
Die gevolgtrekking is hoofsaaklik gebaseer op hulle problematiese sosioekonomiese
omstandighede en die feit dat hulle nog nie Huntington se /I two
turnover test" geslaag het nie. Suid-Afrika is egter op grond van die redes
wat hierbo aangevoer is, tans beter as Botswana daaraan toe.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49904 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Mukhara, Clive Sello |
| Contributors | Breytenbach, W. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xi, 75 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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