Some elite perceptions and South Africa's bilateral relations: a comparison of two surveys

Abstract

This is a report of two surveys conducted in 1983 and 1987 among the ruling elites of the apartheid regime. The elites are National Party parliamentarians and bureaucrats occupying the top positions of those departments involved in the conduct of South Africa's foreign policy. The question addressed is: Who are South Africa's friends and adversaries among the leading actors in the international community. The most important findings are that South Africa's adversaries far outnumber its friends; perceptions of enemies remained unchanged but friendships have been unstable; those relationships that changed, worsened rather than improved; and the perceptual cohesion of bureaucrats and politicians regarding bilateral relations have been high. In conclusion, a number of testable hypotheses for further research have been suggested.