Citizen Participation and the Poor: A Participatory Approach to Achieving Political, Social and Economic Freedom?

Abstract

Various authors highlight the importance of participatory approaches to governance in contributing to the empowerment and development of the marginalized. Citizen participation is furthermore understood to reflect the political culture and civil society in democracies. Some of the advantages of citizen participation include: increased watchfulness over and greater accountability of government activities, and accurate identification and responsiveness to societal needs. Notwithstanding this emphasis, the literature on participation points to the challenges that confront the poor and marginalized in participating in government structures in a meaningful way. It is in this context that the article examines the extent to which beneficiaries of job creation strategies introduced by the state were consulted on the nature of these interventions. It is believed that whilst these strategies are laudable and have in some instances achieved anticipated outcomes there have been cases where strategies have failed to produce anticipated outcomes and/or were not sustainable as a consequence of the lack of participation and consultation.

Notes

1. The deepening of democracy can be referred to the process that nurtures behaviour and attitudes that will ultimately lead to the consolidation of that democracy.

2. Democratic consolidation is taken to imply that democratic practices and processes are institutionalized and that the majority of political actors and citizens agree that such a democratic arrangement is the only acceptable way in which societal conflicts are resolved (Linz and Stepan in Haynes, 2004, p. 37).

3. Whilst protests are indeed a form of participation, the purpose of this article is to highlight the challenges confronting the poor and marginalized in trying to take up their rights and duties of citizenship within the legislative parameters provided for by the state. In this context protest action is viewed as an alternative participatory approach adopted by communities who have lost confidence in the formal structures of participation.

4. The relationship between poverty and unemployment is highlighted in the Poverty and Inequality Report where reference is made to the fact that 55 per cent of people from poor households are unemployed compared with only 14 per cent of people from non-poor households (UNDP, 1998).

5. De Swardt's study is confined to the African poor in the Western Cape. The statistics provided should be examined in this context.

6. Interviews conducted with the coordinator of the Philani Nutrition Centre, April and May 2006.

7. People who lost land as a result of the previous policies of apartheid were compensated for land lost.

8. Government provides assistance to people previously disadvantaged wanting to own land or access land.

9. Government introduces more secure forms of land ownership among those previously disadvantaged who already have access to land.

10. Taylor (2000, p. 59) refers to the literacy levels cited in the 1996 Census. Accordingly, 19.3 per cent of the population of 20 years and older have had no access to schooling. Compared to the White population where only 1.2 per cent has had no schooling, the African population reflects approximately 24.3 per cent with no schooling. Only 3 per cent of the African population of 20 years and older have had access to higher education whilst 24.1 per cent of the White population accessed higher education.

11. Survivalist enterprises are categorized as part of the micro-enterprise sector. As indicative of the name the activities undertaken by survival enterprises are essentially to keep the unemployed and their families alive.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michelle V. Esau

* School of Government, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected]