“The Developmental State in Africa (and Elsewhere): The Lessons for South Africa”

Louis A. Picard

University of Pittsburgh

USA

SOURCE:

Louis A. Picard

The State of the State: Institutional Transformation, Capacity and Political Change in South Africa

(Johannesburg: Wits University Press, 2005)

Next Two Books

The State Transformed: Negotiations, Liberalism and Democracy in South Africa

States within the State: Provinces, Local Government and Governance in South Africa

Both Books to be Published by Wits University Press as part of the P&DM series on Governance.

Biography

Louis A. Picard is Professor in the Division of International Development of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh in the USA and is Visiting Research Professor at the Graduate School of Public and Development Management (P&DM) of the University of Witwatersrand. He has studied African Politics since 1965 and has focused on the South African transition for more than twenty years. His other area of interest is Foreign Aid Policy.

GOVERNANCE

AN OVERVIEW OF ISSUES

Research Themes

1. Institutional patterns of Democratic Governance

2. Decentralized Democratic Models

3. Foreign Aid and Technical Assistance

4. Organizational and Institutional Capacity

Book Focus: The Institutional State

The institutional state can be defined as the set of structures and processes;

including the public service, the nature of intra-governmental social relationships, and internal organizational dynamics;

which—though it evolves over time—is a permanent part of the dynamics of government.

Governance: an Overview of Issues

Basic Term: The Environment of Development

Governance

Manner in which the state is created, modified or overthrown

Ways in Which Decisions are Made and Implemented

Governance is a Process not a Structure

Tentative Universal Governance Functions

1. Governance- Legal, Expected Roles, Intra-state Relationships;

2. Governance and Markets- Debates about Command Economies

3. Governance and Social Service Delivery

Principles of Governance

1. Provision of Goods and Services (including law and security)

2. Difference between Provision and Production (Implications of Exchange Theory for Contracting)

3. Types of Goods

The Need for Implementation in Governance

The Institutional State- Societal vs. Individual or group interests

Structures and Processes of government beyond patronage and Crony Capitalism

Made up of Human and Structural (Organizational) Dynamics

Goal: Formal Rules, Common Values and Standard Modes of Behavior

Governance and Service Delivery

Factors of Size, Difficulty and Normative Values- User Fees vs. Taxes and Cross-Subsidization

Key Value: Public vs. Private- Basis of Human Judgment

Goal: Matching Provision with Nature of Goods and Value Systems of Communities

Debate: Contracting vs. Direct Delivery

Types of Democracy- Terms

Direct Democracy-

Actual direct participation of a population in decision-making about laws and regulations

Town hall or village model

Village meeting (Baraza or Kgotla)

Use of Referendum and Recall

Types of Democracy: Terms

Indirect Democracy-Representation

Some form of representative democracy

Hallmark of Modern Government

Existence of various diverse interest associations and groups within society

Discussion One

If a citizen asks “Is South Africa a ‘True’ Democracy?” how should one respond?

How appropriate are South African governance institutions for development?

South Africa and Development

FACTORS DETERMINING

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

Factors Influencing Governance

1. Imperial Legacies

2. Political Culture, Social Values and Governance

3. Contemporary External Influences (Foreign Aid)

4. Informal and Parallel Functions of Governance

Factor 1: World Wide Legacy of Imperial Rule: A Mini-Comparison

Land Based- Austria, Germany, Russia, Ottoman Empires

Overseas- Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, etc.

Western Hemisphere Dominance

Japan vs. China

The Legacy of the Colonial State in Africa

1. Patron-Client State System and Corporate Group Interests

2. Unpredictable and “soft” but centralized system of governance

3. An administratively based local state which precludes local level decision-making (Prefect or Commissioner)

4. Authoritarian Control Mechanisms

Factor 2: Political Culture, Social Values and Governance

Secular vs. Religious Tendencies “Ethnic” Values Nation-States vs. Dominant vs. Minority,

Multiple Nation States, Spillover Nation States

Nature of Democratic vs. Hierarchical Values

Values, Ideology and State

Factor 3: External Assistance: Globalization Constraints Debates about Public vs. Private Sector (SAPS)

Failure of Growth and Distribution (Limits of Economic Development)

Merging of Governance and Security Focus

“Soft” vs. “Hard” Donors

Multi-lateral Regimes (World Bank System)

Integration vs. Autonomous Development

Factor 4: Parallel Governance and Non-Formal Systems

1. Persistent- traditional, religious leadership

2. Adaptive- non-formal transportation systems

3. Reactive- Religious, ethnic networks

4. Intermediation- Civic Groups

Discussion Two

DOES (OR CAN) FOREIGN AID PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT?

Do Parallel Institutions contribute to Development?

South Africa

THE STATE OF THE STATE

South Africa: 1994-2006 Three Tasks: Defined by SA Government

The Development of a Non-racial state and public service

The Development of a balance between the private and public sector that could meet the country’s overwhelming social needs

The Creation of a Policy Making process that could plan, coordinate and manage economic development

The Problem

The Poor Record of Development State Efforts in much of Africa

The Nature of Global Political Economy

Debates About Service Delivery and Transformation

The Future of the Developmental State?

The South African Legacy

1.Historical Debates- Charterism and Non-Racialism

2. Legacy of Negotiations- Job Guarantees and Provincial Capacity

3. Civil Service Reform- Limits of Reorganization

Measuring Capacity in South Africa

1. The Priority Given to Human Resource Development?

2. The Impact of Corruption and Patronage

3. To Reform or Not to Reform Higher Education

4. Salaries, Group Interests and Privileges

The Dilemmas of Human Resource Development (HRD) and Service Delivery

1. Training and Education

2. Short Term vs. Long Term Investment

3. Bounded Knowledge and Bridging Training

4. Generic vs. Value Based Skills Development

Mpumalanga

“The State of the Province?”

Governance Issues

Focus on Provincial and Local Government

The Role of Intermediate Government

Local Government: Primary unit of government that has both political leadership and bureaucratic structures

Historical Legacy1. “Homeland” administrations and the Eastern

Transvaal administration;

2. Vested Interests During the Apartheid Period

3. Capacity Limitations and the State of the Province?

4. Debates about Provincial and Local Government

Decentralization and Governance

1. Administrative- Delegated, Deconcentrated Capacity

2. Fiscal- Extent of Collection and Expenditure of Local Revenue

3. Political- Bottom up- (Primary but not exclusive Focus)

4. Parallel vs. “Layer Cake” Decentralization

South Africa and Decentralized Governance

1. Centralized vs. Devolved Capacity

2. The Role of Provincial Governments

3. Urban vs. Rural Local Government

4. Metropolitan Regions vs. District Councils

5. Successes and Failures in Sub-National Governance

Discussion Three

Assessment of the State of the State, the Province and the Southern African Region

Discussion Questions

1. Affirmative Action: Should focus be on Education vs. Employment in terms of Human Resource Development (HRD) - Trade Off: Capacity to Deliver Services

2. Governance: Should the focus be on Decentralization vs. Central Control

3. Development: Should focus be on State development vs. Market Development

4. Beyond Affirmative Action: The Use of Consultants and Contracting Out

State of the Province

GENERAL DISCUSSION