Why Apartheid

How dare he try to justify Apartheid a crime against humanity!

Justification is one thing; providing information that may help to bring about insight, is something else.

What could motivate a group of people to deny the majority of the people in the country democratic rights, and try to cling on to political power in the face of overwhelming opposition?

This video examines some of the motivations behind the policy of Apartheid.

The early years of Apartheid should be seen against a background of a First world zeitgeist (a remnant from the colonial age) of superiority over the indigenous peoples of the third world an idea that was losing favour rapidly in the western world throughout the 20th century, and also in SA by the 1970s. This was manifested in petty Apartheid, or early Apartheid up to the late 1970s when, along with changing times internationally, these petty apartheid discriminatory laws were being repealed one after the other.

The second layer of background arises from a history of British repression, which only increased unity among Afrikaners, fuelling a determination to achieve freedom and independence. This contributed to their reluctance to part with these, once finally attained. Power sharing with the vastly superior numbers of black Africans in the same geographical area seemed to mean certain loss of their freedom. This gave rise to the homeland system and separate development. The rapid growth of the black population meant that separate development was inevitably unequal.

The following factors also played an important role:

1) A history of Afrikaner struggle against an imperial superpower that caused the death of 26, 000 women and children, wiping out almost half their child population. After the Anglo-Boer War, the British continued a policy of repression of Afrikaans language and culture.

2) This led to the rise of a strong national pride amongst Afrikaners, with aspirations of freedom and independence.

3) The Cold War and increasing Soviet influence in Sub-Saharan Africa, with strong communist tendencies displayed by black political movements (ANC-SACP-COSATU Alliance) and

4) the disappointing and alarming track record of other African countries under black majority rule, as the wind of change swept across Africa, provided further impetus for Afrikaners to resist democracy in SA.

Over three centuries the Afrikaner had become as much part of Africa as any black African tribe. Links with Europe were tenuous, the Afrikaner was totally committed to South Africa, and had no other country in the world they could call home. Under the circumstances described above, how could they be expected not to do everything in their power to preserve their heritage, and try to secure a future for their children?

However, changes in the world and the rapidly growing urban black population (matched by their political aspirations) were overtaking them. How could it be expected of them to just suddenly hand over all power to the black people? They saw themselves as waging a legitimate war of self-preservation in a hostile continent, under threat of declining prosperity as seen in the rest of Africa on the one hand, and communist rule on the other.

How could power sharing be a realistic option when a simple democracy meant merely counting the numbers: 35 million vs. 3.5 million?

Apartheid laws were being repealed one after the other since the late 1970s, but the black activist movements were not interested in these reforms, and would not be satisfied until all power resided in their hands.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• South
• Africa
• Apartheid
• Racism
• Afrikaans
• Hansie0Slim
• Afrikaner
• Boer
• Voortrekker

[antiazazel]

THE ANC is a terrorist orgenization in Africa, always was. Mandella was imprisoned after being caught red-handed smuggling weaponry and explosives into SA. In Fact the ANC planted many Limpet mines killing many inocent civillians in the cities, both blacks and whites. Today we can see the incompentency of the ANC and they ruined the country. Crimminal leadership will always have a mass crimminal following. Rapes, murders, robberies are the ANC legacy today.

[SUIDWESTER88]

26.000 were more than 1/4 of our total civilian population at that time.

It was genocide!!!

[mrssweetdreams1962]

I would like to know who could sort all the problems out in SA, well to mkae a start !

[inferno0020]

@antiazazel

I care about WHICH African states backed up ANC during the Apartheid era.

[TheHenkie2]

FRENCH, come to Madagascar and you will see no difference!!! Fallen infrastructure, corruption, hunger, etc etc etc.... The only thing that is different is on a moral and virtue level. No murder, no rape, no Genocide!!! Why? They are not the children of Ham!!! This is what you get when you Mix western desires with African mentality.

[fleuger99]

Apartheid was not good but neither is the current ANC government. Corruption is rampant and the ANC leaders are only interested in filling their pockets while the average black South African is no better off now than they were under Apartheid.

Very few ANC politicians are interested in a better South Africa versus self growth in wealth and opportunity. This is evident in the crumbling infrastructure and over all maintence of the country. Eventually they will pick the country dry.

[ServeHaShem]

@mbarana100 Yes, it could have been so much better under the French. God forbid the Dutch have it! Much better it become a cluster fuck like Algeria or Morocco!

[mbarana100]

if only we french people had taken the cape as owned when we took the dutch republic there would be non of this stupidity this damn foolish sensless apertheid and anglo boer war typical anglo saxon behavior we french would have taken it and any resistance yes there would be war and we would win but we wouldn't put people living people in concentration camps again anglosaxon behavior we would impose peace we would show the boers blacks and british whites liberty equality and fraternity

[mbarana100]

I HATE THE ENGLISH I WISH THE FRENCH HAD TAKEN SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE THE BRITISH DID at the time when the cape was dutch owned i do STRONGLY that if south africa was french owned at the time i know napoleon would not allow aperthied the british stimulated apertheid they introduced it to the boers even though they deny it napoleon would not have any of that foolishness france would civilize both black and boer the english say they want to civilize they need civilising themselves ;)

[mark52]

It is the Boers who now face death and genocide'

[MrChillPhill1]

@kemetkush Yap yap yap... You need to work on your vocabulary... It's very limited you know. You can try vocabulary. com I'll bet there may even be an insult. com. So please work on that so the monotony of your statements become less apparent. I do marvel at your comment about good boere though. I'll bet you have executed more than one afrikaner or boer yourself in the same vile manner you conduct yourself on here. Your number will come up... Grow up kid, and wipe the shit from your eyes...