4. How Did African Nationalsim Develop 1948-59 Flashcards
What was opposition like in 1948?
There was no single black opposition group not single ideology uniting the different movements. They were divided by geographic so race class and interest. It was very difficult to organise across all these fissures. And the National party had started developing strategies to police and restrict protest
What was the union of South Africa
In 1910 the British government on unified the coloniesInto the union of South Africa which was granted The right self-rule by the British Empire
How are the ANC formed
In 1912 and spurred into action by the creation of the union of South Africa because blacks were excluded from equal political rights in the settlement agreed with Britain and they strongly opposed native land act of 1913
Why wasnt the ANC successful before 1948?
It was difficult to unify the diverse African population or challenge white power directly and its leaders tended to be politically cautious hoping that whites might change their minds
Outside of the ANC what movements were there by 1948
Strikes by black workers bus boycott is squatter movements to occupy land street protests and mass rallies
What are three examples of militant action to illustrate the diversity of activity in the 1940s?
Before the group areas act squash the leaders leading illegal occupations of Private and municipal and won thousands of followers who are rioted when city officials try to control them.
In 1946 African miners went on strike in one of the biggest and most concentrated actions by black workers
Bus boycott were another form. Many African workers lived on the edges of the cities in townships and transport costs cut deep into their wages so in 1944 and 1949 buses were boycotted in attempts to bring fares down
What did the ANC Youth league do?
They were founded in 1944 and helped to galvanise the movement into more radical action. They were alarmed by white rhetoric about race and racial separation. Tried to provide a vision for the future
Who was the ANC youth league initially led by?
Lawyer anton lembede and tambo, sisulu and Winnie Mandela Developed and specifically africanist ideology prioritising the self-determination of African people
What prompted The youth league to launch a program of action in 1949?
Because the National party won a victory in 1948
What did the youth league want in 1948 in their program of action?
A more confrontational approach to white-minority rule including boycotts, passive resistance, work stoppages and mass action.
What was the radical rhetoric Against?
The old ANC guard as well as on white supremacy.
They called for an African consciousness nationalism and a united African people as opposed to ideologies such as socialism or a return to African traditional leadership.
When was the youth league program of action adopted by the ANC?
1949
It moved away from the policy of concessions seeking from a white government to a more militant liberation organisation
It was informed by Africanist ambitions but not completely dictated by them
What did the ANC believe the couple year after 1949?
Most of the ANC leadership believed The idea of non-racialism and to creating political space for alliance with others in South Africa who supported a fully democratic country including white Indian uncoloured activists
Why were there different visions of the future within the ANC of Africanism and democratic non-racialism?
Mandela himself initially influenced by Lembede turned to this view in early 1950s
Why did the communist party except it was unlikely to find mass support among black workers in the 1940s
The racial oppression was too central on everyone’s mind
What did Communist believe about the two phase revolution?
They would work with the African Nationalists to achieve first a national democratic revolution in which all could exercise for political rights regardless of colour. Then the socialist revolution would come later
Who was accepted into the ANC
Youth league leaders including Mandela and Tambo were initially uneasy about working with Communists but the alliance became more cemented.
Whites Indians include people were not excepted into the ANC. There was already a South African Indian Congress and white and coloured activists formed parallel Congress organisations. They became party of the congress alliance.
What was the liberal party?
A group of white liberals who were critical of apartheid formed the liberal party in 1953 and advocated a new language of politics based on respect and equal individual rights rather than racial rhetoric one.
They attracted some black support but were suspicious of the ANC and Communist so didn’t work with them. Liberalism was crushed by white fears and the attractions of radical African nationalism
What was the defiance campaign?
ANC is new militancy’s focus in 1952. Groups of volunteers would break racially based restrictions such as curfews and segregated facilities to risk arrest. Nelson Mandela was appointed volunteer in chief together with Yusuf Cachalia of the Indian congress.
What was the defiance campaign influenced by?
The ideas of non-violent civil disobedience promoted by the Indian Nationalists Gandhi who had lived in South Africa from 1893 to 1914.
Where were most arrests made in the defiance campaign
Initially aimed at major cities such as Johannesburg and Durban, 6000 out of 8000 arrests were in Eastern Cape cities of Port Elizabeth and East London.
What was East London like?
35,000 people lived there and many Africans lives in shacks.
Poverty was high reflected in high infant mortality rates.
Was the heart of the defiance campaign.
What happened when the defiance campaign first began in east London?
June 1952
There was a rally of 1500 people at fort Hare. The audience shout anc slogans such as let Africa be returned. Gwentshe spoke of the overthrow of white domination and the total rejection of white rule and the resulting era of democracy and independence.
