Conformers and pretenders: The case of middle class political opposition in Swaziland, 1962-2000

Abstract

In both the colonial and post-colonial periods different segments of the Swazi population have expressed political ideals. Throughout these periods Swazi politics has been characterized by the dominance of traditional political culture, but different groups have from time to time expressed political views opposed to the traditional political perspective. This has been the case with those who have received western education and constitute the Swazi middle class. From soon after the Second World War this class has been vocal in advocating for a political dispensation opposed to traditional politics centred on the monarchy. Up to now no coherent study has attempted a critical analysis of middle class opposition politics in Swaziland. This is in spite of the fact that the middle class opposition has taken different interesting shades in both the colonial and post-colonial periods. This article focuses on this neglected but interesting subject as it brings out the real character of middle class political opposition in Swaziland. The article argues that middle class political opposition in Swaziland is not based on principles fundamentally different from those of traditional politics, but is largely shaped by the ambitions of the advocates to accumulate through the state pathway. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research Vol.3 () 2006: pp.235-251