Article Preview
Racism Comes to Power in South Africa:
The Threat of White Nationalism
- Abstract
Slowly but surely a racial self-consciousness, a collective resentment, is being forced upon the Negro, not only in South Africa but throughout the world, and South Africa seems the inevitable theatre for its release. (H. G. Wells, The Outlook for Homo Sa- piens.)
NATIONALISM in South Africa could quite logically be associated with any one of the Bantu tribes which, before its organization was shattered by impact with the white pioneers, had almost evolved to nationhood-the Zulu or the Basutu, for instance. But no such meaning attaches to the “nationalism” which in May scored an unexpected election triumph and made possible the formation of a new government in the country. On the contrary, in the vocabulary of that party a “nationalist” denotes a citizen of European descent whose language is Afrikaans and who believes the doctrine that this little nation of less than a million and a half people has “the God- ordained mission to maintain its identity, superiority, and rule” in Southern Africa. Moreover, there are laws to prevent the Zulu or Basutu from preaching the same thing about his nation, no matter how ardently he might believe in the doctrine.
About the Author
This article is available for purchase to subscribers and for individual purchase
Subscriber Sign In
Not A Subscriber?
