The epilogue discusses the experience of South Africa and its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (T.R.C.) in attempting to avoid revenge and violence in the transition from white minority to black majority power in the 1990s. The author discusses the rationales given by advocates of the T.R.C. for its amnesty provisions, and the claims of opponents that the T.R.C. ignored the values of justice, accountability, and responsibility for one's misdeeds. The author concludes that we have much to learn from the efforts of South Africans to reconcile with a much lower level of rancor, vengeance, and...

The epilogue discusses the experience of South Africa and its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (T.R.C.) in attempting to avoid revenge and violence in the transition from white minority to black majority power in the 1990s. The author discusses the rationales given by advocates of the T.R.C. for its amnesty provisions, and the claims of opponents that the T.R.C. ignored the values of justice, accountability, and responsibility for one's misdeeds. The author concludes that we have much to learn from the efforts of South Africans to reconcile with a much lower level of rancor, vengeance, and violence that might have been anticipated given the history of apartheid injustices and human rights violations.