South Africa

Designing New Political Institutions

The republic of South Africa held its first fully democratic elections in April 1994. They were a highly visible signal that the RSA is moving from the era of apartheid towards a democratic constitutional state. The process is an archetypal case of negotiated transition of a regime, and as such it is of great interest to students of constitutional mechanisms. The contributors to this book--leading South African political scientists--address various aspects of constitutional design and their interactions with social forces. They examine the interim constitution, the roles of the president and the executive, the electoral party and parliamentary systems, and the constitutional court. They also explore the public service, questions of labor and corporatism, the RSA's changing external relations, and the position of the armed forces. Dicussing the process, the difficulties, and the achievements in the transformation of the RSA's political and legal institutions, South Africa will be of interest to students of political science and constitutions everywhere.