Suchergebnisse

Anthropologists, political scientists and sociologists have produced many excellent studies of political developments in modern Africa. Much, however, remains to be done; for work interpreting the meaning of modern African politics is barely under way. This essay seeks to contribute to that work. It analyzes African political thought and action in order to uncover the major premises that underlie African political phenomena, and it suggests that clarification of these premises is the necessary preliminary to an adequate theoretical interpretation of modern African politics.

Whatis 'essence' and what is 'appearance' in African politics? Does class or interest-group analysis describe and explain the various realities? These questions are unanswerable without an examination of the methods by which claims to correct understanding are made. All claims to knowledge are arbitrary until the methods of enquiry and the justification for their validity are made explicit.

The subject-matter of African politics has always presented a special challenge and a special problem to political scientists, namely to develop a theory which would make sense of a vast, inchoate, and unfamiliar body of material. This problem has become particularly acute in the last year or two. The rapid deterioration of African political parties, a series of military coups, recurrent crises of national unity, and heightened tendencies towards anomic and violent behaviour have not only cast doubt on previous assumptions as to the nature of African political life but have also led to a heightened mood of theoretical uncertainty among political scientists.

A Zambezia article on political interest groups. ; Any survey of political behavior in South Africa, ought to begin with a consideration of the role of pressure groups or interest groups. The term "interest group" is to be preferred to "pressure group" because the latter has tended, inter alia, to become a term of abuse, consequently losing some of its scientific potency.5 Once the interest group analysis has been made, it then becomes possible to judge the party system, and, finally, the reaction of global governmental authority to the various pressures.