Before their second step could take place their strategy to gain economical power suffered downfall. In 1867 diamond fields were found in South Africa, shortly followed by the discovery of gold in 1886, these discoveries were controlled by the British and vastly altered the South African economy. They created wealth, cities and new kind of employment. The Boers now had a bigger battle to fight against the British before they could boast economical control.
Their second step was their revolt against British rule in the Boer war (1899 –1902).
During the three years of the Boer War the British dominated the Boer colonies. Enforcing rules on them without any consideration for Boer traditions or beliefs. The methods, which the British used, deserved no recognition. They showed their enemies no respect. Their methods in fighting the Boers later became a long-term cause of Boers feeling superior towards other races, the Boers pride had been dented by the British; they continued to believe that they were the supreme race. Even though the Afrikaners had lost the war, their longing for supremacy became even stronger Because they never lowered themselves to the level of the British, after this period they became known as Afrikaners and developed their own language, they were know showing signs of nationalism.
At the start of the First World War (1914-1918), Louis Botha the raining prime minister at the time, wished to enter the war on the side of the British, however Nationalist groups strongly apposed this course of action. Ten thousand Afrikaners rebelled against him because of past conflict between them and the British. Also because Britain had colonies of other races, supporting them would be a contradiction of their beliefs. Botha managed to retain political power and South Africa went to war on the side of the British. Nationalism once again grew and racism was now at large.
A later prime minister, Hertzog was an extreme nationalist. He admired the tactics of Hitler during the rein of Nazi Germany, and wanted to us the “cleansing of the unfit” method in his own country. He encouraged nationalist behaviour and made the idea of apartheid more pluseable. Hertzog was in power when the Second World War came but unlike Botha he resigned rather than support the British. His successor Daniel Malen retained leadership of a new party in 1940. The party was called the reunited national party. Formed by Malen and Hertzog it united the Afrikaners, they now had the power that they needed to start making plans for Apartheid and lead by Malen they were unstoppable. Malen had clear ideas and goals. He gained the support of the Dutch Reform Church, as well as receiving a great deal of support from an all male organisation called the Borderband society. The boderband was the most secret political organisation in the world, and strong nationalists. After winning a general election in 1948 Malden formed South Africa’s first exclusively Afrikaner government, Afrikaners were now the most powerful race in South Africa, they took control of the economy and had geographical power and Malen believed that it was the work of God, “Afrikarnerdom is not the work of men but the creation of God.” Now their primary concern was to implement apartheid, which they successfully achieved the same year, dividing South Africa in to separate areas according to race. The same year Dr Henrik Verwood entered parliament and added the final piece to the puzzle. He became known as the architect of apartheid, Malen had laid the foundations now Verwoerd could build the structure. He masterminded the second phase of apartheid.
Verwoerd had previously been declared a Nazi supporter by a high court judge, so there is no doubt that he was an extreme nationalist. He was fanatical about his beliefs and often made racist comments ‘ Keeping the nigger in his place ‘. Institutionalising racial discrimination. He became prime minister in 1958 and created eight Bantu Nationalist Acts. He believed that blacks in white areas were now just visiting and could expect to be returned to their homeland. I think that this is an extremely naïve way to think when you consider that the black natives were living on these lands long before the Dutch and British colonies arrived 300 years prior to Verwoerds time of power. Many said that he was very single minded and determined, these included British prime minister Harold Macmillan, who visited South Africa in 1960 and spoke with Verwoerd, ‘ Apartheid to him was a religion… I had an unusual experience of noticing that nothing one could say would have the smallest effect on this determined man… It was a blank wall”, nothing could stand in his way, he was the most powerful and successful pioneer of the apartheid.
The contributions made by Daniel Malen and Henrik Verwoerd are classified as short term, steps towards apartheid even though their contributions were the most significant, in achieving power for the Boers, because of their determination and effort. Long-term causes were the battle of Blood River (great trek) and the Boer War.
In conclusion I have reviewed the evidence and decided that the most important factors in gaining Apartheid supremacy was Verwoerds contribution to the apartheids laws, which repressed and restricted 25 million blacks. This battery of laws made 5 million white dreams come true, whilst controlling every aspect of South African life: home, work, education, love, religion politics, culture and reproduction, the National Party let nothing slide, overall racism was the key to its success.
However this would not have been possible unless previous
Steps had been taken, starting with the Great Trek and continuing in a process of continual change. As the nationalism grew, so did the idea of Apartheid.
So I conclude that Afrikaners established an apartheid state in 1948 to fulfil the 300-year Afrikan dream that one day they would have complete control of South Africa and all the races contained in it. The dream fuelled by racism became increasingly stronger and more possible during the 3 centuries, due to the growing levels of nationalism among Boers after major events mentioned in the essay. Malen and Verwoerd were the most determined of these Afrikaners and finally made this dream become reality.
