South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom

The author reflects on three major shifts in global history—the end of Eurocentrism and Empire, the end of the Cold War, and a current shift away from Anglo-Saxon economic and political dominance. While acknowledging the roles of leaders like Jan Smuts and Nelson Mandela, the author contends that South African citizens must take personal responsibility for their destiny in areas such as education, health, and finance to support the nation's construction and avoid fragmentation.

• The author identifies three historical shifts in the global 'centre of gravity': the first was the end of the Eurocentric period and the rise of the nation state and the United States; the second was the end of the Cold War and China's adoption of market economics; and the third is a current transition away from a period where 'Anglo Saxon conceptions of economic and political order went unchallenged'.
• South Africa's historical role in global shifts is highlighted through Jan Smuts, who influenced the transition from Empire to a Commonwealth and the founding of the League of Nations and United Nations, and Nelson Mandela, whose leadership coincided with the global spread of freedom and the end of Apartheid.
• The author asserts that good governance is inextricably linked to an active citizenry, arguing that 'Good citizens are the absolutely necessary, though never sufficient condition for good governance.'
• To secure a stable national identity and avoid 'fragmentation, division and violent conflict', the author argues that South Africans must move beyond racial and tribal divisions to develop a common sense of national identity.
• The author calls for individual citizen agency in specific sectors, urging breadwinners to be innovative in job creation, parents to monitor education, adults to manage their own health regarding AIDS, and householders to manage their own finances and savings.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2009). South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom. https://saiia.org.za/research/south-africas-and-the-worlds-second-dance-of-freedom/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom. 2009. https://saiia.org.za/research/south-africas-and-the-worlds-second-dance-of-freedom/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom |date=29 May 2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/south-africas-and-the-worlds-second-dance-of-freedom/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2009south, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{South Africa's and the World's Second Dance of Freedom}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/south-africas-and-the-worlds-second-dance-of-freedom/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }