Roots+of+the+Social+Problem+and+the+Relation+to+the+South+Africa's+History


 * Contributed by: Thomas H.**



http://www.masada2000.org/Apartheid1.gif
 * The Roots of Apartheid**

The roots of apartheid go back before the national party came into power in 1984. In 1685, a law in the early South African colonies stated that Europeans and Africans could not marry. In 1853, in the Cape region, a franchise was established that classified people by their wealth instead of their race. Therefore, if someone was rich they could vote and if they were poor then they could not. In the 1870s the franchise was changed by Rhodes to exclude //"unwesternised"// peasant farmers. In the 1950s, after apartheid became the official policy of South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) said that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white" and they worked to abolish apartheid laws. In March of 1960 riots started in Sharpeville, and the government banned all African political organizations, including the ANC. During the 1960-1970s The government tried to make apartheid a policy of "separate development." Africans were confined to newly created and impoverished homelands called Bantustans, which eventually became petty sovereign states. The white population controlled 80% of the land which increased violence, strikes, boycotts, and demonstrations by opponents of apartheid.



http://www.southafrica.to/history/Apartheid/apartheid.jpg


 * Government Reform**

From 1970 to 1980, the government implemented a series of reforms that allowed coloured labor unions to organize and permitted some political activity by the ANC and other similar groups. The 1984 constitution opened parliment membership to Asians and Coloureds, but excluded 75% of the population, blacks. Apartheid was internationally criticized. The United States, and many other countries tried to force South Africa to abolish apartheid through financial means. Urban revolts began to erupt as external pressure on South Africa began to intensify. In 1990 president F.W. de Klerk ended apartheid with the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, and the legalization of black political organizations.

http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/978/424mandela_last.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/12chapter6.shtml

Sources