INTRODUCTION

The function of forgiveness as a tool of governance can easily be overlooked. Yet, it always serves to articulate a culturally specific discourse about right and wrong, about victims and perpetrators, and about what should be done for social relations to begin, endure or improve. It is a discourse about what victims should do, what is expected from perpetrators, and the nature and function of the state and other institutions in the social world. In transitional, post-trauma societies, forgiveness has emerged as a discourse meant to open a new world, where both victims and perpetrators can coexist. In that context, forgiveness (re)distributes power.

Socio-political analyses of the meanings and uses of forgiveness are rare. What literature there is consists primarily of either psychological research, or philosophical, theological or legal exploration. Empirical content is minimal, if present at all. Clinical studies tend to present forgiveness as a therapeutic resolution to various mental states deemed to be pathological (anger, confusion, fear, etc.). Everywhere the positive, desirable nature of forgiveness is axiomatic. It is also simply assumed that forgiveness is difficult. Further, this difficulty is thought to be proportional to the severity of the harm to be forgiven. Forgiveness is seldom, if ever, thought of as having a political or governance face. The assumptions outweigh the empirical evidence.

In this chapter, we explore the use of forgiveness as a tool of governance, by considering its conceptual position within the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).