Abstract

CLOETE, Fanie. The National Party's Machiavellian strategies for democratisation in the 1980s and 1990s in South Africa. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2023, vol.63, n.2, pp.262-284. ISSN 2224-7912.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2023/v63n2a6.

This contribution summarises and assesses the applicability of and application to modern global democratic practices of Niccold Machiavelli's views about the theory and practice of political governance strategies during the Renaissance. Machiavelli focussed on how to promote transitions from feudal authoritarian and tyrannical governmental systems in his era to more stable, responsive and sustainable democratic governance systems. He developed a cogent and coherent governance approach during his career, from 1494 to 1512, as a senior strategic advisor, diplomat and official in the government of the "democratic" Republic of Florence. This approach was aimed at satisfying the main concerns and interests of the rulers as well as their subjects. His proposals combined strategies to satisfy the needs and desires of the population through responsive public services and facilities, supported by strong military back-up interventions to quell resistance to and uprisings against governments. His recommended strategies included morally and ethically doubtful propaganda, disinformation, deflection and even outright lies and, as a last resort, murdering perceived opponents where necessary. These "cynical" strategies afforded Machiavelli a very negative historical and modern reputation as an immoral, unethical power-hungry opportunist. Contemporary research into the driving forces behind different types of governance systems, however, is increasingly confirming the worldwide modern applicability and validity of these suspect practices of governments, including democratic governments. Machiavellian governance strategies remain "normal" democratic government practices today, although they are routinely disavowed. They include so-called "dirty hands" and "white lies" practices, which are not any different from behaviour alleged to be Machiavellian. Machiavelli's influence on contemporary political practice can be illustrated by various examples in virtually all modern democracies. It is also illustrated by a number of National Party (NP) persuasion strategies in South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy in the 1980s and 1990s, inter alia through the work and advisory involvement of international intellectual thought leaders on transitions such as Samuel Huntington and Philippe Schmitter. NP leaders and government units under PW Botha and FW de Klerk used various Machiavellian double-speak persuasion strategies, deflection and deliberate disinformation campaigns aimed at white voter constituencies in particular in order to mobilise support for their respective transformation agendas. They also reneged on a number of political undertakings. These strategies contributed to bring about the end of apartheid and to manage a relatively peaceful transition to a more democratic post-apartheid political dispensation. Machiavelli's relevance to and influence on contemporary democratic politics have in fact been significantly underrated. Many of his views for which he has been ostracised in the past have proved to be "normal" democratic governance assumptions and practices to this day, despite the fact that their ethical nature may be questioned.

Keywords : democratisation; disinformation; the end justifies the means; Huntington; Machiavelli; persuasion; policy change; Schmitter; transformation; transition.

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