Contree: 1979 No 5 DSpace Home
No. 5, January 1979
Gekleurdes en Pretoria se sypaadjies. / Nöthling, FJ
Tharfield - the story of an Eastern Cape farm and its inhabitants (1822 - 1977) /
Noupoort: 'n oorsig van die dorp en distrik. / Marais, JJ
The Blaauwkrantz bridge. / Hunt, KS
In the West democracy is still regarded as the most acceptable political system. The ordinary citizen is attracted to it on the assumption that it is a guarantee for his freedom and puts him in a position where he is personally involved with, and a party to, issues that have a bearing on him. It does not matter if this involvement is indirect through his elected representative in a legislative body. The assumption, however, does not always take account of reality - democracy in practice guarantees far less than is generally believed. One of the problems with the democratic system is that it can function effectively only if the population involved is relatively homogeneous and has reached a standard of civilization which makes meaningful and responsible participation possible. Should this system be introduced into a heterogeneous society in which sectional interests are paramount, the guarantees usually associated with democracy arc likely to be eliminated. A related problem, one that is of particular interest to the regional historian because of his approach to history, is the disruption of the democratic 'process through the communication gap that develops between a people and its elected leaders. This means that the will of the people is not represented in the government's legislative and executive programme. It is possible to indicate various reasons for this estrangement, but one of the most important is the unrealistic will of the people that cannot stand the test of practical politics and pragmatic government administration. There can be no objection if citizens indicate democratically their wishes about the laws and regulations they would like to be subjected to; however, if these aspirations are in conflict with their actual way of life, and if they are intended to protect their sectional interests, such aspirations will destroy the democracy.
The conflict in the first quarter of this century about the use of Pretoria's sidewalks by Coloureds is a fine example of the communication gap that can develop between the voters and the legislative and executive authorities. In this instance the central government did not act in accordance with White public opinion in Pretoria. The government's actions, however, were based on the way of life chosen by the Whites themselves, and it could rightly have been regarded as an unjust advantage if the Whites had been protected by legislation from the less acceptable results of their own free actions.
In die Weste word die demokrasie steeds as die mees aanvaarbare politieke stelsel beskou. Die gewone burger vind dit aantreklik omdat dit veronderstel is om sy vryheid te waarborg en hom die geleentheid bied om persoonlik betrokke te wees by en saam te besluit oor die sake wat hom raak, al is dit op indirekte wyse deur sy verkose verteenwoordiger in 'n wetgewende liggaam. Hierdie veronderstelling hou egter nie altyd rekening met die werklikheid nie - die demokrasie waarborg in die praktyk veel minder as wat algemeen geglo word. Een van die probleme met die demokratiese stelsel is dat dit net doeltreffend kan funksioneer as die bevolking wat daaraan meedoen betreklik homogeen is en op 'n beskawingspeil staan wat sinvolle en verantwoordelike deelname daaraan moontlik maak. Indien hierdie stelsel in 'n heterogene gemeenskap ingevoer word waarin seksionele belange gewoonlik voorrang geniet, loop die waarborge wat met die demokrasie geassosieer word gevaar om te verval. 'n Probleem wat hierby aansluit en waarin die streekhistorikus op grand van sy benadering van die geskiedenis besonder geïnteresseerd is, is die verydeling van die demokratiese proses deur die vervreemding wat tussen 'n volk en sy verkose leiers ontstaan wat tot gevolg het dat die volkswil nie in die wetgewende en uitvoerende program van 'n regering weerspieël word nie. Verskeie oorsake vir hierdie vervreemding sou aangedui kon word, maar een van die belangrikstes is die onrealistiese volkswil wat nie die vuurproef van die praktiese politiek en pragmatiese staatsadministrasie kan deurstaan nie. Dit sou in orde wees as die burgery op demokratiese wyse sy wense en begeertes te kenne gee wat betref die wette en regulasies waaronder hy wil leef; as hierdie begeertes egter in stryd is met sy lewenspraktyk en daarop gemik is om sy seksionele belange te beskerm, vernietig dit die demokrasie.
Die verwydering wat tussen die kieserskorps en die wetgewende en uitvoerende gesag kan ontstaan, word treffend geïllustreer deur die stryd wat gedurende die eerste kwart van hierdie eeu gevoer is rondom die gebruik deur die Gekleurdes van Pretoria se sypaadjies. In hierdie aangeleentheid het die sentrale owerheid nie in ooreenstemming met die wil van die Blanke openbare mening van Pretoria opgetree nie. Die owerheid se optrede was egter die uitvloeisel van 'n lewenswyse wat die Blankes self gekies het, en dit sou tereg as onregverdige bevoordeling beskou kon word as die Blanke deur wetgewing teen die onaangenamer gevolge van sy selfgekose optrede beskerm sou word.
﻿ Marais, J J (Afdeling Streekgeskiedenis van die lnstituut vir Geskiedenisnavorsing, RGN / Section for Regional History, Institute for Historical Research, HSRC, 1979)
﻿ Thorpe, C (Afdeling Streekgeskiedenis van die lnstituut vir Geskiedenisnavorsing, RGN / Section for Regional History, Institute for Historical Research, HSRC, 1979)
AuthorHunt, K S (1)Marais, J J (1)Nöthling, F J (1)Thorpe, C (1)Date Issued1979 (4)