The Influence of the Type of Dominant Party on Democracy, 2014 A Comparison Between South Africa and Malaysia Politik in Afrika, Asien und Lateinamerika Series

Dominant parties and democracies ? are they really strange bedfellows? Malte Kaßner sheds light on the relation between one-party dominance and democracy from a comparative perspective. The study examines the key question how different types of dominant parties influence democracy in multicultural societies with the help of two case studies: South Africa and Malaysia. Both countries are characterized by an ethnically, linguistically and religiously plural society. The author analyses the two dominant parties African National Congress (ANC) and United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and their implications on democracy in the two countries. The outcome suggests that one-party dominance per se cannot be assessed as beneficial or harmful for democratic development. Rather, dominant parties deserve a stronger analytical differentiation. Causal patterns contribute to such a differentiation.

Different types of dominant parties.- Organization of dominant parties.- Character and impacts of ideological concepts.- Behavioural norms of dominant parties.- Effects on the type of democracy.

Malte Kaßner is freelance coach and consultant for development co-operations worldwide.

Study in the field of social sciences Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras