Against All Odds - Opposition Political Parties in Southern Africa (Paperback)

Opposition political parties are vital to the functioning of democracies as they provide a representative system of the electorate while keeping ruling parties accountable. Through this important legislative role, the political system gains legitimacy. However, opposition parties across the southern African region confront many challenges in their attempts to function effectively. This, of course, raises important questions. Why is the political opposition so weak and fragmented in the region? Are the challenges largely due to internal weaknesses or state repression? How do opposition parties relate to their constituencies as well as broader civil society? In seeking to answer these questions, this volume assembled contributions from a number of prominent scholars from the region who share the experiences of their respective countries. The diversity of countries included – from the island-state of Mauritius to regional behemoth South Africa, from democratic Botswana to feudal Swaziland – allows one to draw comparative lessons about the region.