Constructing a Democratic Developmental State in South Africa: Potentials and Challenges

The social and economic successes of Asia have drawn global attention to the developmental state as a possible model for developing countries—and South Africa is interested. As this interdisciplinary team of distinguished scholars warns, however, constructing a developmental state is one thing; actually implementing the necessary institutional and policy reforms to bring it into reality is another. Providing an eloquent account of what the state's primary goals should be at this point, these contributors point to South Africa's advantages, including its existing constitutional democracy, the wealth of its mineral resources, and the commitment of its political leadership. Beyond that, they make the case that South Africa will have to become more socially inclusive, that economic and social policy will have to be intertwined, that development and democratic agendas must be mutually reinforcing, and that a competent bureaucracy needs to be built.