South Africa - Turning points in Mandella's life and the effects of external pressure on the collapse of apartheid.

Being imprisoned in the Rivonia Trial in 1963 was a further important event in Nelson Mandela's life. This was so important because it gave him much more publicity around the world, giving anti-apartheid campaigns more exposure to people from all different countries. Before his imprisonment he was not widely known, however subsequently he became a leading anti-apartheid figure known everywhere. This led to other countries being more aware about apartheid, imposing sanctions on South Africa which nearly destroyed its economy, and ultimately the collapse of apartheid.

Overall, these turning points helped shape Mandela's life.

Question 2: Explain the part played by external pressure (for example, economic sanctions and international isolation in sport) in the fight against apartheid and minority rule.

External pressure played a part in the fight against apartheid and minority rule in South Africa in the form of sanctions. There were two main types of sanctions, sporting sanctions, and more importantly, economic sanctions.

Sporting sanctions stopped South African teams visiting other countries to play, and also banned them from the Olympics in 1963. There was complete international sporting isolation for South Africa, which was a terrible blow to many avid sports fans. On the other hand, sporting sanctions played only a minor part in the collapse of apartheid. As not all South Africans were lovers of sport, it did not affect everyone, and most of the people it did affect were only slightly influenced by it, but it did push some white South Africans to want to end apartheid.

In contrast, economic sanctions could make a massive difference to South Africa and its people. The UN put into place economic sanctions that cut off all trade links with South Africa. They hoped this would force the South African government to end apartheid or face economic devastation. The consequences of economic sanctions were a major contributor to the collapse of apartheid. By the late 1980s South Africa's economy was in deep trouble. More money was being spent than was being made. The slow decline did not affect South Africa at first, but in the late 1980s the increased spending on police to keep apartheid running was crippling the country. Economic sanctions were affecting everybody, from the poorest to the richest, blacks and whites. Because it affected everyone it was a major contributor to the end of apartheid. The economic sanctions were so influential that if they did not end, the country would end up in civil war. When the government realised this, in the late 1980s, they accepted that change was necessary to avoid an economic meltdown. Therefore, by influencing the whole of the population and the government, the part played by economic sanctions was great.