Affirmative Action in a Democratic Society

Abstract

As démocratisation sweeps Southern Africa after the abolition of apartheid, the region is passing into a new era which brings both promise and many challenges. Democracy in practice is of longer duration in Australia, but disagreements as to its meaning (especially with respect to race relations) are both current and prevalent. The notion of affirmative action is one which is controversial, even in countries where it is not a new strategy for equality. This paper considers what affirmative action means, what it does in a democratic society, and how it in fact helps to define the very nature and meaning of a democracy.