The South African government, co-optive power and ideological hegemony

Abstract

In South Africa's new democracy two trends are becoming apparent : political centralisation and the weakening of agents of political accountability. The article argues, first, that these trends are the result of the South African government's use of two forms of co-optive power, namely institutional centralisation and dispositional centralisation. Secondly, contending that these trends are merely the fruits of deeper roots, the article seeks to identify these roots by "digging deeper". Primary documents emanating from South Africa's ruling party, the ANC, have been studied to understand these trends. It is concluded that the current centralisation results from a deliberate striving towards ideological hegemony. AFRIKAANS: Binne Suid-Afrika se nuwe demokrasie is daar twee tendense wat duidelik opval : politieke sentralisering en die verswakking van agente vir politieke verantwoordelikheid. Hierdie artikel betoog, eerstens, dat die tendense die gevolg is van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se gebruik van twee tipes koöpterende mag, naamlik institusionele sentralisering en disposisionele sentralisering. Tweedens argumenteer die artikel dat hierdie neigings die resultate is van dieperliggende oorsake en probeer dit om daardie oorsake te identifiseer. Primêre dokumente van die regerende party, die ANC, is ontleed om die bostaande neigings beter te verstaan. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die huidige bewyse van sentralisasie die uitvloeisel is van 'n doelbewuste strewe na ideologiese hegemonie.