Opposition to the Nationalist Government Flashcards
(14 cards)
1
Q
Why did the ANC not pay enough attention to the 1949 election?
A
- Believed that it was ‘white man’s politics’ and did not apply to them
2
Q
Why was effective opposition to the regime difficult?
A
- Apartheid regime had already anticipated it and put measures in place to deal with it
3
Q
What was the Suppression of Communism Act 1950?
A
- Allowed regime to interpret any opposition as ‘communism’
- Could arrest and imprison opponents
4
Q
What was the ‘banning order’?
A
- Prevented opposition groups from contacting each other for five years
- Extensively used
- Could lead to house arrest
5
Q
What was the Public Safety Act of 1953?
A
- Allowed government to declare a state of emergency for twelve months
- State of emergency = martial law (military government)
6
Q
What was the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1953?
A
- Anyone with someone who committed a crime would be assumed to be equally guilty
7
Q
What did the ANC do to oppose the regime?
A
- 1949 Youth League containing Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu
- Committed to basic policy and a programme of action involving mass and direct action
8
Q
What did the ANC’s plan also support by 1949?
A
- African nationalism throughout the continent
- Decolonisation movements were gaining momentum
9
Q
What was the most significant example of opposition?
A
- 1952 Defiance Campaign
- Non-violent protest with two stages
- Stage 1: deliberate law-breaking on such a large scale that the authorities could not cope with it
- Stage 2: nationwide strikes and protests
10
Q
What happened as a result of the 1952 Defiance Campaign?
A
- Mass participation but not enough
- ANC membership rose to 100,000
11
Q
To what extent was the 1952 Defiance Campaign ineffective?
A
- This plan required millions participating to be effective
- Leaders like Mandela arrested and banned from speaking in public
- Regime passed more civil disobedience laws
12
Q
Which four groups formed the anti-apartheid coalition?
A
- African National Congress (ANC)
- South African Indian Congress
- South African Congress of Democrats
- Coloured People’s Congress
13
Q
What did the opposition groups do in 1954?
A
- Draft and approve a Freedom Charter
- Document outlining aspirational principals of freedom and democracy in South Africa
- Asserting universal rights
14
Q
Why was the Freedom Charter the most significant legislation of opposition in the long-term?
A
- Principles remained timeless and relevant
- Successfully appealed in changing political contexts
