Globalization and South Africa’s Transition through a Consociational Arrangement

Abstract

As many of the chapters in this volume have demonstrated, globalization imposes a serious dilemma on the state in developing countries. This dilemma is perhaps more visible in South Africa than anywhere else. South Africa’s transition from apartheid was originally founded on a consociational arrangement, which is a mechanism that attempts to unify different race and ethnic groups and social classes under a shared political and economic system on the basis of carefully negotiated terms that are acceptable to all groups.