Voices of Sacrifice and State Legitimacy: Comparative Dynamics of Veterans’ Activism in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the United State

Abstract

The study set out to examine the platforms and mechanisms of veterans’ activism and the outcomes and impacts across Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the United States. The purpose was to understand how veterans, as pivotal actors, shape governance, legitimacy, and policy. Guided by Weberian theories of legitimacy and Migdal’s “state in society” framework, the research employed qualitative methods, drawing on key informant interviews and documentary analysis to triangulate evidence. The study concluded that war veterans across the contexts are central agents in shaping governance, legitimacy, and policy through diverse platforms, coercive occupations, party-linked associations, NGOs, media, and lobbying, whose influence is shaped by regime type and institutional openness. Their activism has produced stabilizing impacts when accommodated inclusively, destabilizing effects when repressed, and transformative outcomes when governments were compelled to confront structural inequalities. Therefore veterans are not passive welfare recipients but active agents of change whose activism oscillates between autonomy and capture, reshaping welfare systems, policy frameworks, and legitimacy. The overarching implication is that the stability and consolidation of democracy depend on how states engage veterans: repression or instrumentalization erodes legitimacy, while inclusive recognition strengthens governance, consolidates democracy, and transforms policy. Veterans’ activism is therefore an unavoidable force in state–society relations, and inclusive engagement is essential for stable, legitimate, and democratic governance. To strengthen governance, legitimacy, and policy outcomes in relation to veterans’ activism, governments should design welfare schemes that are comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive, ensuring equitable benefits that reduce patronage and reinforce legitimacy. While institutionalizing veterans into formal structures can stabilize governance, policies must safeguard autonomy by allowing independent platforms for grievances without political capture. States should engage veterans as legitimate partners in policymaking, incorporating their voices into national development strategies rather than treating them as instruments of patronage or repression, and prioritize dialogue and negotiation over coercion to maintain trust and democratic consolidation. NGOs and civil society organizations must be recognized as critical partners in amplifying veterans’ voices, supporting welfare, and fostering reintegration, particularly in fragile democracies. Veterans should be supported to professionalize activism through lobbying, media engagement, and policy advocacy to ensure constructive influence on governance. Responsive policies that address socio-economic needs while reinforcing democratic values are essential to transform activism into a stabilizing and transformative force. States should adapt lessons from comparative experiences to strengthen governance in their own contexts, recognizing that inclusive engagement with veterans is vital for legitimacy, stability, and democratic consolidation