Reparations in South Africa: A Cautionary Tale
39 Pages Posted: 2 Mar 2010
Date Written: 2003
Abstract
The South African experience with reparations is an important object lesson for any major effort to seek reparations to the descendents of slaves in the United States. However, the aspect of the TRC's reparations plan that has proved most problematic is the recommendation for monetary payments to "victims" of gross human rights abuses. Although emphasizing the importance of reparations to the victims, the TRC failed to ensure that reparations would be paid. Like the victims’ movements in South Africa, the American movement for reparations for victims and descendants of slavery should consider a range of monetary as well as non-monetary forms of reparation and should seek to develop a meaningful social discourse on race and injustice. The analysis is informed by the experience of members of the South African victims’ movement.
Keywords: Reparations, South Africa, Restorative Justice, Human Rights, Truth And Reconciliation Commissions, United States
JEL Classification: K00, D63
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation