Of War and Peace

 The Mandela government succeeded in reforming public finance, widening the scope of welfare programmes, and encouraging economic revival. The key to South Africa’s democratic transition was Mandela’s ability to convince the white South Africans that he and his followers acknowledged them as fellow citizens. He was helped by the ANC’s long history of "multi-racial" alliances and its inclusion of whites in its own ranks. Even with this background, he had to work hard to build trust across old historical divisions. He had to win over his own side too, for white South Africans needed to be induced into democracy through the promise of coalition government and legal protections for their property– compromises that were very unpopular amongst ANC rank and file. Here Mandela’s consensual style of leadership was indispensable. During a lengthy period of negotiations the ANC itself underwent important transformations as previous hardliners under Mandela’s influence became pragmatists. Mandela’s own personal stature was also critical in winning external support for the ANC so that after 1994 the new government enjoyed widespread international admiration. Most important of all, in governing South Africa, Mandela projected warmth and compassion, reducing his former adversaries, as one commentary noted, to a state of "charismatic bewilderment".