The importance of political Elites: Comparative Case Study of South Africa and Rwanda
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2007
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Haverford College. Department of Political Science
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Thesis
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Award
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eng
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Abstract
When discussing democratic transitions in authoritarian or minority ruled countries, there are often a variety of factors analyzed in order to determine whether or not the transition will be successful. I argue that political elites are the key factor to a successful democratic transition, but that they must fulfill five principles in order to institute a successful democracy. The economy and civil society are the two other factors that have commonly been cited as pre-conditions for a democratic government. While both can play important roles in transitions, they are also inherently controlled by political elites. There are two sides to the economic argument. The first is that some believe that an economy in crisis can bring about political change through the mobilization of citizens. While mobilization can occur, it is the way in which political elites utilize the mass that forces a political transition. The second theory behind the economy argues that in order for transition to occur, the economy must already be established within the country. There are two problems with this premise. The first is that stable economies often arise out of a democratic transition, which would mean that it would not inherently be a pre-condition. The second issue is that many authoritarian regimes have had stable economies, so the pre-requisite does not automatically lend itself to the development of a democratic nation. Civil Society is an important part of a democracy, and aids in the stability of a democratic state. However it does not need to be present at the initial transition to democracy, as it is something that can be learned by citizens. It is also important to realize that the space for civil society to thrive is created by political elites outside of the state. Essentially, political elites control the creation of civil society by allowing for civil society to function autonomously. Once it was determined that political elites were the vital factor in creating a successful democratic transition, two case studies were examined which allowed us insight into how political elites work and what they must do in order to succeed. Through these case studies five key principles were determined that these elites must utilize to be successful. They must communicate throughout the process openly and honestly; come to the negotiating table willing to negotiate, as opposed to just demanding policies; negotiations must have been initiated by internal elites, not completely coerced by outside forces; be all inclusive to ensure no extremist group feels alienated causing backlash; and the political elites must maintain their power throughout the process to ensure negotiated settlements can be implemented and abided by within their own parties. Through the case study on South Africa we were able to observe successful implementation of these five principles by the two major political elites, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk. When the rest of the world thought South Africa would erupt in civil war, these two political elites carefully and effectively negotiated a democratic government allowing for a relatively peaceful transition to occur. Rwanda, on the other hand, saw political elites who were not able to effectively implement these five principles. Instead of the peaceful transition the international community believed would occur through the Arusha Accords, President Habyarimana was killed and genocide spread throughout the country. In Rwanda the attempt at a democratic transition failed under ill equipped political elites. To conclude, this thesis attempted to argue two important points. The first is that political elites, as opposed to the economy or civil society, are the most vital factor in creating a successful democratic transition. The second, done through case studies of Rwanda and South Africa, examined five key principles political elites must utilize in order to create a democratic transition. In South Africa we saw these principles implemented effectively, while in Rwanda the political elites failed to implement them at all. Political elites are the most important factor in creating a successful democratic transition, but they must implement the five key principles in order for the new democracy to thrive.