André du Pisani

“Ideologically, where should the government position itself? Should it adopt the kind of neoliberal approach we currently have, or should it embrace the social democracy that we say we want to become? There are even provisions for that in our Constitution. However, that is a debate we do not seem to be having as a country. Where should we go, and what trade-offs will we have to make to get there? I think that is a broader debate about the nature of policy itself if we are serious about addressing these concerns.”

“A diversity of human agencies beyond the three states, should build upon our entwined histories towards reconstructing and rediscovering a common humanity.”

“The path to meaningful reconciliation with Germany and South Africa lies in a cultural project; using culture with its ability for forgiveness, its core indivisible goods, its fractured yet enduring identities, and potential for building human understanding.”

“Democracy, like the state, is historically and socially constructed, and is a process rather than a single event or outcome. It is the outcome of historical struggles against arbitrary and authoritarian power, therefore different societies find themselves at different positions along a complex trajectory towards consolidating their democracies. Democracy mediates both political and civil society, for it has specific procedural implications for politics.”