Will South Africa's "government of national unity" be a game-changer or more of the same packaged differently?
The possibility that South Africa's new coalition government might flatter to deceive and fail to live up to expectations is not insignificant.
For World Politics Review, I wrote about the new governing coalition in South Africa:
As for the notion that coalition governance represents a maturing of South Africa’s democracy and that possible failure comes with the territory, the obvious counterargument is coalition governance’s poor track record on the provincial and municipal levels, where several governing coalitions have collapsed unceremoniously. The resulting political dysfunction undermined the delivery of public services, while fueling public disenchantment due to a lack of democratic accountability. In short, the institutional uncertainty that may accompany a fractious coalition at the national level could similarly undermine effective governance, erode democratic norms and pave the way for further instability.
South Africa’s democracy is maturing but perhaps not along the lines that conventional wisdom assumes. It is important to remember that modern, democratic South Africa is only 30 years old in real terms, a baby compared to many older, more established democracies. The fundamental pillars of its democratic order—judicial independence, credible elections, and respect for civil rights and political freedoms, to mention a few — are generally healthy. The country is now transitioning from a dominant-party system to a yet-to-be-determined alternative.
At the same time, the ANC remains the political agenda-setter, with a deeply rooted presence across the country. But given how many breakaway parties have splintered from it, the ANC was unlikely to continue winning the large majorities it has historically achieved in national elections, even with the built-in advantages it enjoys.
You can read the entire article here.