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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:The National Party Constitutional Proposals: Stable democracy or minority imperialism?
Author:Schlemmer, LawrenceISNI
Year:1991
Periodical:South Africa International
Volume:22
Issue:2
Period:October
Pages:65-70
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:political parties
National Party
constitutions
bill drafting
Law, Human Rights and Violence
Politics and Government
Abstract:This article first outlines in brief the National Party's framework for a new democratic South Africa as presented in its document on 'Constitutional rule in a participatory democracy' (1991). Then it examines the implications for effective democracy by answering the following questions: Are the proposals anti-democratic because they override or constrain majority rule? Are the proposals not a formula for exacerbating or maintaining racial antagonism? Would the framework encourage rank and file participation and an independent civil society, or is it elitist? Will this framework not lead to paralysis, conflict, deadlocks and stalemate in government? The conclusion is that the National Party proposals are the basis of broadly the kind of compromise-based 'pact' between power groups which has tended to facilitate the emergence of stable democratic systems elsewhere in the world. Ref., sum.
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