Afrikaner culture and politics. Flashcards
Where do Afrikaners descend from? How did they culturally develop from their descendants?
They descended from white settlers called Boers who came largely from Holland and Germany in the late 18th and early 19th century; their language is derived from German and Dutch.
Over time, they developed their own culture, separate from British or European, and felt that they had no ‘mother country’ unlike the British, and thus no where to go if their lives in South Africa should fail; some call them the white tribe of Africa, as they felt South Africa was their home to keep.
What were Afrikaners characterised by?
- Hard work, mainly farming largely infertile land.
- A stern puritanical Christianity: a belief in the literal truth of the Bible, and a rejection of what were considered ‘pleasures of flesh’ such as alcohol.
- This partially caused an extreme belief in racism and that non whites had been cursed by God.
- Their laager mentality.
What was their Laager mentality?
This refers to the extremely defensive and isolationist mentality adopted by Afrikaners It is characterized by a sense of isolation and a deep distrust of outsiders, as well as a belief in the superiority of their own culture and way of life. And it had a large impact on why the apartheid got so bad before any change occurred, culturally, Afrikaners rejected giving up their ways of life. It was exemplified by their determination to proceed with apartheid and white supremacy, no matter the opposition. They felt that the stronger the opposition, the greater the determination.
What was the history between Afrikaners and the British?
Uneasy relationship. Stemmed from Britain abolishing slavery in 1833, causing many Boer settlers to be enraged and move to the Hinterland where they were not under British control.
- In 1838, in a battle against the Zulus, the Afrikaaners made an alleged covenant with God asking for victory; this became the basis of their belief that God had granted them South Africa.
How did the whites justify segregation? What was the basis for their beliefs about Blacks?
Most whites had racist views that Africans were lazy, untrustworthy and potentially dangerous.
- They were ignorant and afraid of Africans, and made little effort to communicate, thus they feared for their own safety in the event Africans gained political or economic rights, as they thought it would be detrimental to their country.
- A belief that segregation from Whites’ was in the best interest of Africans - and that they were most happy living separately from whites in a more pastoral environment - but their failure to communicate was the main reason for this.
What was the pre WW2 political situation in SA?
All the political parties vying for power were comprised of whites. However, the most successful parties consisted of English speakers who originated from Britain. Afrikaaners, who felt it was their country, not the British felt that they had too much political power and did not approve of them being in control to the degree they were.
How did SA politics change during WW2?
Afrikaners developed their own identity and institutions, including the Broederbund, a hugely influential movement set up in 1918 and dedicated to promoting Afrikaner interests, and during the apartheid years, every political leader was a member.
After various struggles and mergers, the main Afrikaner party emerged as the National Party (NP), promoting Afrikaner ideals, intent on promoting Afrikaner ideals and removing all ties with Britain.
