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the history of apartheid
essay on mandela decision to leave office
essay on mandela decision to leave office
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Throughout history, mankind has struggled with following rules. Is it rational to break rules? Nelson Mandela, the so-called hero that saved South Africa from apartheid, broke the law and was accused of treason against his country. In the face of brutal racism, when peaceful rallies yielded nothing in return from the government except violence, and when the law was so bent against basic humanity, Mandela was justified in turning to sabotage, violence, and any means of resisting that might afford him and all people of South Africa what the United Nations called “the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world” (The Universal). To begin, the apartheid system negatively affected the lives of Blacks living in South Africa. Though racial …show more content…
In December of 1993, Mandela achieved his goal of a desegregated government; shortly thereafter he was elected President of South Africa. As president, Mandela improved race relations, built a new, international image of South Africa, and “discouraged the black community from retaliating against the white minority” (Nelson Mandela). The Truth and Reconciliation Committee was created to investigate human rights and political violations committed by apartheid supporters and opponents between 1960 and 1994. He introduced several social and political programs designed to improve the living standards of blacks, leading his nation into an age of prosperity. Some might say that because Mandela used violence against the South African government, his actions were completely unjustified. However, the government was being extremely inhumane with the treatment of people of different races, and using peaceful force had no effect against them. As proven by the poor treatment of South African citizens, letting the apartheid continue would have harmed more people than the ANC sabotaging the government.
By this time, Mandela’s struggle was known around the world, and he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1993. Obviously, Nelson Mandela was a hero for stopping the apartheid in South Africa. Even though he broke the law in doing so, Mandela was justified because he was faced with extreme racism, peaceful rallies were only producing violence from the government, and basic humanity in South Africa was bent to make them suffer. When breaking the rules, it is only justified if doing so furthers society or helps others. Otherwise, breaking the law is
They have created themselves as role models in society during the movement for equality for African American citizens. For Mandela, however, his legacy began while he was still imprisoned. This is evident when Mandela’s 70th birthday was televised in 50 different countries ("Nelson Mandela"). Mandela was offered release from prison several times by the Government of Pieter Botha, but has refused each offer due to the notion that he wanted to renounce his political opposition and his violence. This allowed his legacy to grow and his respect from bystanders to grow as well. He developed his reputation to be known as “the most significant black leader in South Africa” and he was “a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength” ("Nelson Mandela - Biographical"). After Mandela was released from prison after the removal of the Apartheid Laws, he was eventually elected as the first black president of the South African state. During his reign, he worked on developing a new constitution and a better education system to improve the lives of others as they wanted (Fetter). Another significantly notable event to add to his legacy occurred in 1993; Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in leading the country into a successful democracy ("Nelson
What was Apartheid? Apartheid was when people were segregated into different groups: White, Black, Indian, and Colored, as a government policy. In the South African language apartheid means separateness. In 1958 Blacks were deprived of their citizenship. There were separate schools, buses, shops and hospitals for blacks and colored people and the services available were well under the standard provided for the white people. Even laws were different. Apartheid touched every part of social life, including a prevention of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of "white-only" jobs. This spiraled out of control under Dr. Daniel Malan when he became Prime Minister because the Afrikaans (white South Africans) were worried black people had started taking over skilled and semi-skilled jobs and black workers were moving into the cities/towns and staying. Many didn’t know what apartheid meant but they did know it kept the white people separate from the black people.
To understand Mandela’s role in civil disobedience, one must first have the knowledge of his personal life. Mandela was born in the town of Transkei, South Africa into a royal family on July 18,1918 (Klerk). Even though Mandela was born into a royal family, he still noticed the ugly treatment of people in South Africa based on their racial background. Mr. Mandela was educated at the University of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand. Both of these universities are located in South Africa, though Fort Ware is in Eastern Cape while Witwatersrand is located in the capital (Klerk, F). While a student in college Mandela was sent home for protesting against the strict policies of the university with several other classmates. Like many col...
In the end Mandela’s brutality turned out to be justifiable in order to be able to confront the Apartheid government of South Africa. The brutality did not come at the right time in the war but it did come with the intent to stop a war without harming the civilians. Mandela wanted to eradicate the war within those humans who did not govern South African in the best interest for everyone. To Mandela bringing an end to unfairness was something one should fight for. Mandela needed security for his people for the civilians and the only way to do that was to use violence in an intelligent manner. There were many sacrifices and many death but Mandela provided his country with a brighter future brining in justice.
Throughout his 95 years of living, Nelson Mandela earned the title of many things: global peacemaker, civil rights activist, writer, president, politician, philanthropist, and many more. As an active member of the anti-apartheid movement in 1942, Mandela was known for peaceful and non-violent protests against South Africa's government and their policy of Apartheid, a system of racial segregation. After 20 years of these attempts, realizing non-violence was not working to put an end to apartheid, Mandela moved on to armed struggle. The African National Congress was made illegal and Mandela was put in prison for 27 years for political offenses; sabotage and guerrilla war tactics, after coordinating a workers' strike. 18 of those 27 years in prison
He fought for what he believed in, he was tenacious in doing so, and he stood up for true equality for all. Mandela is a man that I believe our current politics could learn a lot from. Our nation is so divided right now, that we need people like him to rise up and show the world that you can hold fast to your beliefs without ostracizing those around you.
On April 20, 1964, Nelson Mandela delivered a speech to the Supreme Court of South Africa. Mandela was being tried for sabotage, high treason, and a conspiracy to overthrow the established government; these charges were brought forth during a time a great discrimination and segregation by whites against Africans. Mandela was a renowned and highly regarded leader in the movement toward desegregation and equality, and to this day is still recognized as a driving force in ending the apartheid in South Africa. Like many great leaders before him, Mandela relied heavily on peaceful political movement rather than riots or any violent acts as he described more in depth within this speech. The purpose of this speech was to convince the court that a majority of the allegations made against him, as well as the African National Congress, were false or twisted, but he also aimed to thrust their movement forward. Using his credibility as a leader for social justice, powerful language, and sensible logic Mandela was able to truly convey their struggle. Although his trial ended with a guilty verdict, he was successful in showing that some of the blame fell onto the government and that change was absolutely important.
Nelson Mandela taught us that the humanity all of us share can help us transcend the sins some of us commit. There is no better example of the transformative power of tolerance and reconciliation than Nelson Mandela and his inspiring work in overthrowing the apartheid government in South Africa. He understood the power of words to change minds and the power of peaceful deeds to open hearts. His life reminds us that justice and tolerance can overcome even the greatest cruelty. Nelson Mandela faced one of the greatest evils of our time.
“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight” (“Nelson Mandela”). Nelson Mandela took the chance and fought for his rights and freedom. Mandela has gone through many troubles in his life since the day he was born. A young man that had no shoes till he approached the age of sixteen, and then transformed into a great political leader of his country. Mandela’s life is an impressing story to be told!
There are many types of people in the world. Some of them are negative and some are positive. Negative people seem to have an endless impact on the people they influence. Negative people plant their venom in the lives of families, friends, communities, countries, and sometimes, even the world, which can make healing difficult and almost impossible because, in many cases, negativity breeds more negativity. However, all people are not negative people, and many people take time to build up others who are less fortunate than they are but who deserve the same opportunities they have. Nelson Mandela is one of these positive people. Mandela contributed to ending
Nelson Mandela’s commitment to politics and the ANC grew stronger after the 1948 election victory of the Afrikaner dominated National Party, which formed a formal system of racial classification and segregation “apartheid” which restricted non whites basic rights and barred them from government.
Nelson Mandela played an important role in the abolition of Apartheid. He helped start and lead some of the riots and protests that led to black rights, and he spent a long time in prison to pay for it. He inspired many people. As he said, quoting Marianne Williamson, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world… We are all meant to shine (Williamson).” Overall, he played a very important role in abolishing Apartheid in South Africa.
South Africa really began to suffer when apartheid was written into the law. Apartheid was first introduced in the 1948 election that the Afrikaner National Party won. The plan was to take the already existing segregation and expand it (Wright, 60). Apartheid was a system that segregated South Africa’s population racially and considered non-whites inferior (“History of South Africa in the apartheid era”). Apartheid was designed to make it legal for Europeans to dominate economics and politics (“History of South Africa in the apartheid era”).
“To deny people their right to human rights is to challenge their very humanity. To impose on them a wretched life of hunger and deprivation is to dehumanize them. But such has been the terrible fate of all black persons in our country under the system of apartheid (“In Nelson Mandela’s own words”). Nelson Mandela was a moral compass symbolizing the struggle against racial oppression. Nelson Mandela emerged from prison after twenty-seven years to lead his country to justice. For twenty-seven years he sat in a cell because he believed in a country without apartheid, a country with freedom and human rights. He fought for a country where all people were equal, treated with respect and given equal opportunity. Nelson Mandela looms large in the actions of activists and politicians. He inspired music and movies, and swayed the mind of powerful leaders. Making him an influential person who affected American culture.
He quoted “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people” (Mandela, n.p.). Nelson Mandela wasted no time in prison; he earned his bachelor of law degree from the University of London Correspondence Program. When he was released in 1990, within a year, he was announced the president of the ANC forming a youth league also known as ANCYL-African National Congress Youth League. Also, as challenging as this was, Mandela tried making elections racially undivided and this was a nonsuccess. Anarchy broke out amongst the southern black Africans because they wanted all the power instead of sharing power with the whites, which is what the whites intended. Understanding Mandela, he wanted a peaceful movement and was elected president on May 10, 1994.