Chapter 22 - The End of Empire (1914-Present)
This chapter was definitely bit more interesting to read because it talked about more recent events in history. The 1900s was the time when the European colonial empires were coming to an end, and ultimately gained their independence. What caught my attention the most in this chapter was the fact that South Africa's struggle to freedom was very different than we had seen in other cases, such as India. South Africa was independent from Great Britain since 1910.
The problem for South Africa was the fact that independence had been granted to a government wholly controlled by a white settler minority, which represented less than 20% of the total population. So the other 80% of the population being black African's had absolutely no political rights whatsoever. That's why South Africa's struggle is so different, rather than fighting with a distant colony, they were fighting internally with the white settlers who now were calling themselves "Afrikaners"
Afrikaners reflected their image of themselves as "white Africans" permanent residents of the continent rather than colonial intruders.
That 80% of people were treated so unfairly, and lived in a situation that had been unheard of before.
"A further unique feature of the South African situation was the overwhelming prominence of race, expressed since 1948 in the official policy of apartheid, which attempted to separate blacks from whites in every conceivable way while retaining Africans' labor power in the white-controlled economy."
Nelson Mandela was a huge anti-apartheid revolutionary as well as the President of South Africa during the 1990s. Mandela is well known for his non-violent civil disobedience--boycotts, strikes, and demonstrations.
Not sure if anyone else saw the Disney movie The Color of Friendship growing up. But this is what I was reminded of when I was reading this part of our textbook. The story is about two young girls, one from the Unites States, and the other from apartheid in South Africa is is coming to the United States as an exchange student.
In the movie, Mahree the white South African comfortably benefit from the apartheid system and don't ever question whether it's wrong or not. Both girls are shocked to know how different their lives really are.
As a young girl watching this movie, I'm sure I didn't quite understand it's full meaning but it's nice to be able to reference it now that I can say I understand more about that time in history.
The problem for South Africa was the fact that independence had been granted to a government wholly controlled by a white settler minority, which represented less than 20% of the total population. So the other 80% of the population being black African's had absolutely no political rights whatsoever. That's why South Africa's struggle is so different, rather than fighting with a distant colony, they were fighting internally with the white settlers who now were calling themselves "Afrikaners"
Afrikaners reflected their image of themselves as "white Africans" permanent residents of the continent rather than colonial intruders.
That 80% of people were treated so unfairly, and lived in a situation that had been unheard of before.
"A further unique feature of the South African situation was the overwhelming prominence of race, expressed since 1948 in the official policy of apartheid, which attempted to separate blacks from whites in every conceivable way while retaining Africans' labor power in the white-controlled economy."
Nelson Mandela was a huge anti-apartheid revolutionary as well as the President of South Africa during the 1990s. Mandela is well known for his non-violent civil disobedience--boycotts, strikes, and demonstrations.
Not sure if anyone else saw the Disney movie The Color of Friendship growing up. But this is what I was reminded of when I was reading this part of our textbook. The story is about two young girls, one from the Unites States, and the other from apartheid in South Africa is is coming to the United States as an exchange student.
In the movie, Mahree the white South African comfortably benefit from the apartheid system and don't ever question whether it's wrong or not. Both girls are shocked to know how different their lives really are.
As a young girl watching this movie, I'm sure I didn't quite understand it's full meaning but it's nice to be able to reference it now that I can say I understand more about that time in history.
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