What is apartheid and what has caused this concept?Any explanatory dictionary will tell you that apartheid - it is literally "separation", a word rooted in the language of the Boer settlers in Africa - Afrikaans.It was there, in South Africa should seek answers to all questions.
Background of the regime
oppression of the indigenous black population in Africa had already begun
since the first Europeans there.With the establishment of the colonial system, namely from the XVI to the beginning of XX century, the practice of oppression acquired colossal proportions.The slave trade reached an unprecedented scale, occurred resettlement of entire peoples on other continents as servants for the new owners.White home and settled in Africa itself.They were especially attracted rich in diamonds and other natural minerals in South Africa.Within a couple of centuries, Europeans settled here, mostly Germans, Belgians and Dutch, later organized local folk - borax (from Flemish - peasants).In the early XX century on the site tried to reclaim their rights the British Empire.In the end, the South African Union was established as a British dominion in 1910.In the first half of XX century.even in the US, where there were many descendants of black slaves, despite the declared Universal Declaration of Human Rights, had big problems with real equality of blacks who are still oppressed at all levels.In South Africa, this practice is enshrined in law, officially stating that the "white" and "black" are not equal.Thus, apartheid - is the result of centuries of development of the Republic of South Africa.
Years of apartheid
This policy is officially conducted at the state level since 1948 (actually before) until 1994.In essence it consisted of the following key provisions:
- "Black" population was deprived of all political rights (to vote and to be elected).
- apartheid regime banned mixed marriages.
- Bantu blacks instructed living in special reserves.To leave would need permission from the authorities.
- Social protection also has been divided (hospitals, schools and other similar institutions existed separately for the "white" and "black").The same applies to public places.
- There laws are subject to an additional tax on the "white" of the employer, who took on the work of the black.
- "Black" prohibited any commercial activity.
a long time, the United Nations and the governments of many advanced countries in the world acted with sharp criticism of the phenomenon in the country.After all, that is apartheid?This effectively legalized at the highest level of racism - something with which so zealously fought defenders of the planet.One of the most famous fighters against this phenomenon became Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for a long time, and later (1994) and the first black president of South Africa.Removing the regime began in 1989-90 under the increased pressure of Europe and especially the United States, once again proclaimed his "crusade" for democracy around the world.Fearing the real economic and political sanctions, the local economic elite forced to dismantle apartheid in South Africa.In 1990 a mass amnesty of political prisoners and the abolition of racist laws.And in 1994, the country received its first black leader in history.
What happened to them then
Today, South Africa's apartheid - it is only an echo of the past.However, for a large part of the population is warm past that it was better to present a gloomy country.Access of indigenous people to the entrepreneurial initiative, education and politics - is, of course, the positive side.However, at the same time dramatically increased the level of crime in the state."Black" for the most part have not become more secure and happier.This social tension, multiplied by the years of hatred for the exploiters, the descendants of the Boers turned life into a struggle for survival in the crime situation.
