South Africa - Why was the National Party victorious in 1948? Flashcards
1948 election:
In 1938, what two parties was the Afrikaner vote equally split between?
United Party (Smuts and Hertzog) National Party (Malan)
1948 election:
In 1939, who resigned from what party? And why?
Hertzog resigned from United Party, leaving Smuts in control
because parliament had voted to support British war effort
1948 election:
What percent did each party get?
National Party (Malan): 38% United Party (Smuts): 49%
1948 election:
If NP won a smaller percentage of votes, how did they win overall?
- the Westminster constituency system have Malan his opportunity
- Smuts - won big majorities in English-speaking urban seats
Malan - won small majorities in rural constituencies - combining with the small Afrikaner Party, Malan secured narrow victory
1948 election:
Why was Smuts seen as a ‘black sympathiser’?
- Smuts played major role in formation of UN
- flirted with more liberal policies
- accused of failing to control the political dangers of oorstrooming and fear of swart gevaar
1948 election:
What is oorstrooming?
flooding of African people to cities where they compete for white jobs
1948 election:
What is swart gevaar?
Afrikaner nationalists harness everyday racism into promoting fear of ‘black danger’
What are the reasons the National Party secured their majority?
INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
RISE OF AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
NP POLICIES
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
Name 3 groups that encouraged Afrikaner nationalism somehow.
- Broderbond
- Ossewabrandwag
- Calvinist Dutch Reformed Church (black and white played a different role in God’s plan)
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
Name a few reasons why Afrikaners began to vote for Hertzog/National Party.
- represented Afrikaners from poorer areas of the country
- NP stressed importance and richness of the Afrikaans language
- many Afrikaners viewed Smuts as overly pro-British
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
How did Hitler’s ideals affect Afrikaner nationalism?
it influenced the Purified National Party formed by D.F. Malan with support of Broederbond
They believed that Afrikaner was in danger of being:
- politically undermined by English
- economically threatened by Indians/Jews
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
When did nationalism really gather speed? What specifically heightened nationalism?
1939
when idea of Afrikaners as a volk (‘people’)
with distinct separate identity
gained increasing political currency
the Sauer Report 1947
Which advertised the sysetem of segregation
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
Give a fact that shows how rapidly Afrikaner nationalism had grown.
by 1947, Afrikaner influence within society (and political potential) was so great that it was sufficient to provide a formidable base upon which to contest the election
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What was the Broederbond?
exclusive Afrikaner organisation (brotherhood)
bring people together and protect Afrikaner culture
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What ideology did the Broederbond follow?
a Christian, nationalist, republican outlook.
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What did the Broederbond establish?
an Economic Movement to promote Afrikaner business
nationalist interests were advanced on this
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What did the Broederbond eventually become?
a secret society whose membership and actions were not disclosed to English speaking whites
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What did the Broederbond hold in 1938?
Great Trek Centenary
to celebrate and promote nationalism
stressed heroic struggles of Boer voortrekkers fleeing British opposition
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What was the Ossewabrandwag?
mass anti-war movement launched by Afrikaners
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What was the Ossewabrandwag modelled on?
Hitler’s socialist movement
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
How many members did the Ossewabrandwag have at its peak?
300,000 (1939)
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What did the Ossewabrandwag do?
uniformed militias staged mass rallies
formed shooting associations
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What other countries suffered with segregationalist policies? How did this make South Africa look in comparison? Was there any international pressure?
USA with their ‘Jim Crow’’ laws
SA’s early legislation was harsh but not so fundamentally different than elsewhere
Yes, major powers increasingly articulated a concern for universal human rights
war against fascism and Holocaust’s legacy underpinned slowly growing consensus that all people had a right to self-determination and basic human rights
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What was SA’s stance in WW2?
no fighting in SA
Jan Smuts (PM) declared support for Britain
300,000 SA fought
Black Africans who joined were not allowed to carry weapons (worked as labourers)
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What was the effect on SA industry/economy?
- the war transformed SA industry
- factories expanded to fill the wartime need for goods
- factories took on black workers
- SA had a modern, mechanised manufacturing industry
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What the boom in manufacturing’s effect on racial lines?
Africans worked alongside white workers
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What was the result of inclusion of black people in the factories?
1946 - more blacks than whites in urban areas for first time
created issues due to restrictions limiting African entry and ability to reside in countries
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What was the basis formed for townships?
strict enforcement of rules would overwhelm police and impacted war effort
rapid growth in African population in ‘squatter’ camps without organised infrastructure
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What did black people use the relaxation of segregation after WW2 to do?
press for improvements of their conditions
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
Name some mass resistance that happened around WW2?
strikes
bus boycotts
mass resistance by South African Indian Congress (after government tried to restrict rights of Indians to live and own property)
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
What happened to Smuts’ premiership during WW2? Why?
it declined in popularity
- Many Afrikaners wanted to keep SA neutral in the war
- objected to fighting for Britain
- Smuts was later seen as responsible for the hardships that occurred as a result of the war
- Some Afriakners left Smuts’ governemnt
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - WHITE GRIEVANCES FOLLOWING WAR
What 3 economic issues did both races face?
rising costs
housing shortages
jobs scarce
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - WHITE GRIEVANCES FOLLOWING WAR
What had heightened the racial tensions?
Influx of Africans to cities
growth of shanty towns and squatter movements (aroused white fears of being ‘swamped’ by Africans)
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - WHITE GRIEVANCES FOLLOWING WAR
What happened in the job sector to ‘threaten’ whites?
- returning white workers found black workers in their jobs
- black trade unions had grown larger
- black wages had risen from 1/5 of a white workers to 1/4
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - WHITE GRIEVANCES FOLLOWING WAR
What did whites conclude about Smuts after these grievances?
Smuts did not seem able to ‘keep the black man in his place’
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - NP POLICIES
Under D.F. Malan, what did the Sauer Report (1948) show in terms of policies?
Apartheid of separate development of the races was the only way forward
for example:
- reserves is where Africans belong
- flood of Africans
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - NP POLICIES
What were the Sauer Report’s policies?
- reserves is where Africans belong
- flood of Africans to cities is dangerous
- Urban Africans must continue to be treated as visitors without political rights
- Coloured also live separately
- Indians sent back to India
- Whites rule, blacks under control
WHY NP WAS VICTORIOUS - AFRIKANER NATIONALISM
What were 4 Nationalist promises to white voters?
- Afrikaners promised a white South Africa under Afrikaner rule. Blacks would be moved to reserves
- the ‘black threat’ to white jobs would be overcome
- for white industrialists, blacks could be allowed to leave reservations to work in cities under strict controls
- a supply of cheap black labour for white farmers
