ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to clarify the constitutional models’ potential to function as frameworks regulating South African politics, and expose their shortcomings. J. Rawls’ theory is developed for a society with moderate scarcity. He maintains that economic development must be over a certain level, for the priority of the first principle to apply. The general claim of consociational theory is that in plural societies consociationalism will always stand a better chance in securing democratic stability than majoritarian democracy. Under apartheid the international stance towards South Africa was interpreted differently by the regime and the opposition. The fact that South Africa for decades has been a thoroughly politicised society is also a potential problem for consociation style politics. That ethnicity will take precedence over other cleavages in South Africa, such as class, or the black/white divide, is absolutely crucial for the consociational model to be applicable.
