One-party Dominance in African Democracies

One-party Dominance in African Democracies PDF

Author: Renske Doorenspleet

Publisher: Lynne Rienner Pub

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 9781588268693

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Is the dominance of one political party a problem in an emerging democracy, or simply an expression of the will of the people? Why has one-party dominance endured in some African democracies and not in others? What are the mechanisms behind the varying party-system trajectories? Considering these questions, the authors of this collaborative work use a rigorous comparative research design and rich case material to greatly enhance our understanding of one of the key issues confronting emerging democracies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Party Systems and Democracy in Africa

Party Systems and Democracy in Africa PDF

Author: R. Doorenspleet

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-12-02

Total Pages: 201

ISBN-13: 1137011718

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Do party systems help or hinder democracy in Africa? Drawing lessons from different types of party systems in six African countries, this volume shows that party systems affect democracy in Africa in ways that are unexpectedly different from the relation between party systems and democracy observed elsewhere.

The Awkward Embrace

The Awkward Embrace PDF

Author: Hermann Giliomee

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2005-08-08

Total Pages: 394

ISBN-13: 1135297169

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Democracies derive their resilience and vitality from the fact that the rule of a particular majority is usually only of a temporary nature. By looking at four case-studies, The Awkward Embrace studies democracies of a different kind; rule by a dominant party which is virtually immune from defeat. Such systems have been called Regnant or or Uncommon Democracies. They are characterized by distinctive features: the staging of unfree or corrupt elections; the blurring of the lines between government, the ruling party and the state; the introduction of a national project which is seen to be above politics; and the erosion of civil society. This book addresses major issues such as why one such democracy, namely Taiwan, has been moving in the direction of a more competitive system; how economic crises such as the present one in Mexico can transform the system; how government-business relations in Malaysia are affecting the base of the dominant party; and whether South Africa will become a one-party dominant system.

Democracy in Africa

Democracy in Africa PDF

Author: Nic Cheeseman

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2015-05-12

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 1316239489

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This book provides the first comprehensive overview of the history of democracy in Africa and explains why the continent's democratic experiments have so often failed, as well as how they could succeed. Nic Cheeseman grapples with some of the most important questions facing Africa and democracy today, including whether international actors should try and promote democracy abroad, how to design political systems that manage ethnic diversity, and why democratic governments often make bad policy decisions. Beginning in the colonial period with the introduction of multi-party elections and ending in 2013 with the collapse of democracy in Mali and South Sudan, the book describes the rise of authoritarian states in the 1970s; the attempts of trade unions and some religious groups to check the abuse of power in the 1980s; the remarkable return of multiparty politics in the 1990s; and finally, the tragic tendency for elections to exacerbate corruption and violence.

Political Parties in South Africa

Political Parties in South Africa PDF

Author: Thuynsma, Heather

Publisher: Africa Institute of South Africa

Published: 2017-11-28

Total Pages: 236

ISBN-13: 0798305142

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Political parties and the party system that underpins South Africa’s democracy have the potential to build a cohesive and prosperous nation. But in the past few years the ANC’s dominance has strained the system and tested it and its institutions’ fortitude. There are deeper issues of accountability that often spurn the Constitution and there is also a clear need to foster meaningful public participation and transparency. This volume offers a different and detailed assessment of the health of South Africa’s political system. This study intends to unravel the condition of the party system in South Africa and culminates in the question: Do South African parties promote or hinder democracy in the country? The areas of the party system that are known to require continued work are the weakness of democratic structures within parties, the perceived lack of responsibility of elected parliamentarians towards voters, non-transparent private partner financing structures and a lack of attractiveness of party-political commitment, especially for women. Experts in the respective fields address all of these areas in this book.

Political Parties in Africa

Political Parties in Africa PDF

Author: Mohamed Abdel Rahim Mohamed Salih

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13:

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Provides a broad, comparative analysis of 27 African countries and 75 political parties. The data was assembled during 2004-06 and was followed by national and sub-regional dialogue workshops between political parties, researchers and civil society. The agenda for reform that emanated from the research and dialogue process is reflected and discussed in the report. Legislative regulation of parties, women's participation, funding of political parties, party democracy and party programmes and policies that represent and reflect the preferences of the people are high on the agenda for the process ahead. By providing comparative information, this International IDEA publication aims to stimulate debate on the challenges faced by political parties in Africa. It is especially aimed at political parties, scholars, policy makers and democracy assistance organizations working for political reform in Africa.

The Influence of the Type of Dominant Party on Democracy

The Influence of the Type of Dominant Party on Democracy PDF

Author: Malte Kaßner

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-11-29

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 3658044381

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Dominant parties and democracies – are they really strange bedfellows? Malte Kaßner sheds light on the relation between one-party dominance and democracy from a comparative perspective. The study examines the key question how different types of dominant parties influence democracy in multicultural societies with the help of two case studies: South Africa and Malaysia. Both countries are characterized by an ethnically, linguistically and religiously plural society. The author analyses the two dominant parties African National Congress (ANC) and United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and their implications on democracy in the two countries. The outcome suggests that one-party dominance per se cannot be assessed as beneficial or harmful for democratic development. Rather, dominant parties deserve a stronger analytical differentiation. Causal patterns contribute to such a differentiation.