Apartheid in South Africa: Racial Segregation, Political Manipulation, and the Conditions Enabling Systemic Institutionalization
Overview
This research paper examines apartheid in South Africa following its introduction by the National Party in 1948, analyzing the ideological framework that promoted racial segregation under the guise of separate but equal development. The paper investigates the conditions that enabled the institutionalization of racial segregation as law despite concurrent decolonization movements across Africa, and explores the role of political manipulation in gaining support from minorities for apartheid implementation.
What this research paper covers
- Introduction: Definition of apartheid as an ideology of racial separation introduced in 1948 and the distinction between pre-existing racial segregation and its legal institutionalization
- Thesis Statement: Examination of how apartheid was implemented during a period of African independence movements and investigation of minority manipulation in its establishment
- Insights: Analysis of how apartheid was presented as equitable racial development while serving to disadvantage the majority native South African population
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Apartheid in South Africa
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Apartheid in South Africa
Introduction
Apartheid was introduced in South Africa in 1948 and was reinforced by the National Party. Apartheid was an ideology supporting separate development according to racial groups in the country. The ideology was implemented, appearing to call for equal development in South Africa. The introduction of ideology seemed to call for cultural freedom and the engagement of cultural diversity in the government. The appearance of the ideology in the paper (call for equal development under racial basis) made it easier for the implementation of the ideology. The ideology advocated for the separate living of racial groups and separate development. The ideology was against any form of interracial interactions, including inter-marriages and any other kind of social integration (Maylam, 2017). This raised tension to the extent that if an individual befriended another from a different cultural background, then the society viewed them as suspicious. In reality, apartheid in South Africa was an ideology to disadvantage the majority population, which included South Africans (Clar and Worger, 2016). Apartheid applied segregation on the basis of skin color.
The application of apartheid came in a period when the South African government was affected by racial segregation and tribalism. Racial segregation was a norm before the Afrikaner Nationalist Party assumed power in the year 1948. The notable fact about apartheid in South Africa is that apartheid made existing racial segregation a law.