Clive J Napier Research Fellow and POLITICAL PARTY CAUCUSES Former Associate AND DEMOCRACY: Professor, Department 1 of Political Sciences, CONTRADICTIO IN TERMINIS? College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa. Email: Abstract
[email protected] The concept of “caucus” has historically been imbedded within practical politics and in the disciplines of political science and history. Pieter Labuschagne In a general sense, a caucus (also referred to as a parliamentary Professor and Former party) aims to reach agreement between individuals on specific Departmental Chair, matters. In parliamentary politics and at all levels of government a Department of Political caucus forms an essential structure in the functioning of a political Sciences, College party within a legislature, being an integral part of the strategic make- of Human Sciences, up of parties from central parliament down to the local level. The University of South Africa. leadership of political parties organise their members into groups, Email: labuspah@unisa. but individual members may also organise themselves into groups ac.za which are generally known as caucuses. In the various caucuses, general strategy, policies and the candidates to be voted for, or to be DOI: https://dx.doi. elected into office are decided and agreed upon – this, to ensure that org/10.18820/24150509/ the party demonstrates solidarity within the respective legislatures JCH42.v2.10 and to the outside world. The secret manner in which a party caucus ISSN 02582422 (Print) operates within a supposedly transparent democracy raises a number ISSN 24150509 (Online) of concerns. The question is whether such secrecy and the insistence that all party members of a caucus – particularly in parliamentary Journal for Contemporary political systems – toe the party line, infringes on the diversity of History interests that elected members are supposed to represent? The 2017 42(2):208226 purpose and values of democratic representation presuppose a direct © UV/UFS line from the individual voter(s) to the representatives in a legislature.