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Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613932301058048 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Giles, Sarah Beth |
| author2 | Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette |
| author_browse | Giles, Sarah Beth Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette |
| author_facet | Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette Giles, Sarah Beth |
| author_sort | Giles, Sarah Beth |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131664 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:59.926Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131664 Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years Giles, Sarah Beth Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Democracy -- South Africa Regime change -- South Africa Dictatorship -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government Political science Democratization -- South Africa Democracy -- Public opinion UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Citizen support for democratic actors and institutions and, to an even greater extent, the democratic regime and political community, is a vital component for regime legitimation and the consolidation of democracy. Theories of political support argue that should poor performance of political actors and institutions persist for an extended period, this may begin to erode the diffuse base of support for the democratic regime and political community. The poor performance of political actors and institutions over recent years in South Africa provides an ideal country context for testing this hypothesis. This quantitative study traces citizen support for democratic actors and institutions as well as support for the democratic regime and political community over 20 years in democratic South Africa, observing a decline in support for almost all of the above-mentioned political components. A declining trend in support for the political community is, however, less clear. This study employs statistical analysis to determine correlations between measures of support for actors and institutions (specific support) and support for the democratic regime and political community (diffuse support). Despite clear indications that specific support for political actors and institutions as well as diffuse support for the political regime have both declined over time, it appears that these two trends are unrelated. This finding is in contrast with the broader literature on political support, which argues that declines in specific support will eventually erode support for the broader democratic system. These findings may indicate that South Africans distinguish between regime type and regime performance, which represents a positive outcome for democratic consolidation and legitimacy. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen Afrikaanse opsomming beskikbaar nie. Masters 2025-02-04T10:30:34Z 2025-02-04T10:30:34Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131664 en Stellenbosch University x, 199 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Democracy -- South Africa Regime change -- South Africa Dictatorship -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government Political science Democratization -- South Africa Democracy -- Public opinion UCTD Giles, Sarah Beth Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title | Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title_full | Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title_fullStr | Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title_short | Democratic demise? a longitudinal study of political support in South Africa over 20 years |
| title_sort | democratic demise a longitudinal study of political support in south africa over 20 years |
| topic | Democracy -- South Africa Regime change -- South Africa Dictatorship -- South Africa South Africa -- Politics and government Political science Democratization -- South Africa Democracy -- Public opinion UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131664 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gilessarahbeth democraticdemisealongitudinalstudyofpoliticalsupportinsouthafricaover20years |