Trends In State-Civil Society Relations In Botswana

The accolades that have been heaped on Botswana as a shining example of democracy and good governance in Africa have been exaggerated. While Botswana has regularly held elections since its independence in 1966, the post-colonial state’s relationship with civil society reveals that some of the institutions of civil society such as labour unions and the independent press/media have been tightly controlled, in sharp contrast to others, such as human rights or women’s organisations. This is because the former institutions are viewed as a threat to the status quo, while the latter are seen as compliant and playing only a legitimising role.

File Type: pdf
Categories: Journal of African Elections
Tags: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Central Kalahari Game Reserve, first-past-the-post (FPTP), Trade Disputes Act (TDA)