This article commences with a historical perspective on state and economy in order to arrive at
a characterisation of the nature of a constitutional state, in terms of the differently-natured legal
spheres within a differentiated society. The focus then shifts to developing countries, the problem
of poverty and the relevance of various theories of development.
A literature review reveals as alternative theories for economic growth the linear-stagesgrowth
model, the neo-Marxist (or dependency) growth model, the orthodox growth model and
the structural growth theory. The single main objective of all these models is the quickest
eradication of poverty, but these theories differ with regard to the most suitable ways in which
to eradicate poverty on a sustained basis in the shortest possible time. Literature on development strategies currently favours either the orthodox model or the structural model, as the other two
models have been discredited owing to recent experiences in economic growth and development.
This challenge of poverty eradication has been described as one of melting the “Golden curtain”
which separates wealthy countries in the northern hemisphere from the poor countries in the
southern hemisphere.
Although different models aiming at economic growth and economic development were used
by different countries and in different regions, African countries have shown little progress in
the eradication of poverty. Factors other than the application of particular development strategies
therefore played a role and contributed, depending on the circumstances, either to a faster or to
a slower eradication of poverty in different regions and countries. These discrepancies that
occurred over a period of 30 years (1970 to 2000) between certain parts of the world recording
remarkable progress in their efforts to combat poverty on the one hand, compared to increases
in poverty in other parts of the world on the other, require an assessment which takes into account
a more encompassing perspective.
On the basis of these considerations the question is then raised in this paper as to whether
or not the “just state” can play a significant role in developing countries, inter alia, in the light
of existing theories of development. The intimate coherence between a system of free enterprise,
the free market and the juridical guarantees of a just state underpins key elements in the
formulation of the conclusion of this article.
AFRIKAANS: Hierdie artikel begin met ’n historiese perspektief op staat en ekonomie om vervolgens oor te
gaan tot ’n tipering van die aard van ’n regstaat in terme van die verskillend-geaarde regsfere in
’n gedifferensieerde samelewing. Daarna word die aard van ontwikkelende lande, die
armoedeprobleem en ’n aantal prominente ontwikkelingsteorieë aan die orde gestel. Uit die feit
dat oor ’n typerk van 30 jaar (1970 tot 2000) daar in sekere wêrelddele merkwaardige sukses
behaal is met pogings om armoede uit te wis, maar dat armoede in sekere ander wêrelddele
toegeneem het, volg dit dat breëre samehange verreken moet word in die beoordeling daarvan.
Op die basis van hierdie gesigspunte word daar dan gelet op die vraag of die onderliggende
beginsels van ’n regstaat ’n belangrike rol in ontwikkelende lande kan speel, onder meer in die
lig van bestaande ontwikkelings teorieë. Die onverbreeklike samehang tussen ’n vrye ondernemingstelsel,
die vrye mark en die juridiese borge wat deur ’n regstaat gestel word, begelei kernelemente
in die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word.
