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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Changing relations of political power in South Africa's transition: the politics of conquering in conditions of stalemate |
Author: | Booysen, Susan |
Year: | 1991 |
Periodical: | Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies |
Volume: | 19 |
Issue: | 3 |
Pages: | 64-80 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | South Africa |
Subjects: | power national liberation movements peace negotiations |
External link: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02589349208704977 |
Abstract: | This article analyses the effect of changing power relations between the ANC and the National Party (NP) government on the process and possible outcomes of the political transition in South Africa. The point of departure of the analysis is that the ANC and the government entered into negotiations from a position of strategic stalemate. The author argues that the negotiations were used to achieve original, as opposed to compromised, objectives. Over time changes in power relations set in. These changes, which are explained through identifying and analysing 6 phases in the balance of power between the two parties between September 1989 and October 1992, led to changes in transitional demands. The analysis shows that by October 1992 the ANC was in the process of achieving basic democratic conditions and that the government had lost its ability to seize initiative in the transition process. The government had made qualitative or substantive concessions, but retained formal control of vast resources of power which are vested in the State apparatus. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. |