South African Apartheid Legislation

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how throughout the 1950s, the government of South Africa passed extensive legislation in an attempt to suppress the African population and ensure the dominance of white South Africans. In order to evaluate the success of government attempts to stifle black interests, it considers the impact of legislation passed during the 1950s. More specifically, the paper analyzes legislation regarding social, political and economic factors. It considers the impact of legislation relating to relationships between the different racial groups and government attempts to control the education of African children. The paper also analyzes the success of the government's attempts to protect the industrial interests of white workers by limiting the employment opportunities available to Africans.

From the Paper:

"The restriction of black economic interests also played a key role in Government attempts to ensure white dominance. The Government's influx control policies were closely linked to economic factors; Posel contends that the Native Affairs Department viewed its influx control strategy as a method of 'rational' distribution of African labour between the cities and white farms. Verwoerd claimed that in the long-term apartheid required 'purposeful and deliberate economic segregation, not only by means of colour bars in regard to Bantu labour in white areas. But also by mechanisation of all labour activity to such an extent that the need for Bantu labour be reduced to a minimum' (Barnard, 'Thirteen Years', page 40). Beinart claims that the apartheid planners attempted to protect the interests of white workers and control the position of Africans in the labour market."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barnard, 'Thirteen Years'
• W. Beinart, 'Twentieth-Century South Africa' (Oxford, 1994)
• Davenport and Saunders, 'South Africa, a Modern History' (Macmillan, 2000)
• Liebenburg and Spies, 'South Africa in the 20th Century' (1993)
• A. Mabin 'Comprehensive Segregation: the origins of the Group Areas Act and its planning apparatus' (Journal of African Studies, 1992)

More papers on South African Apartheid Legislation:

• Term Paper # 95445 : "The South African Union Constitution of 1910"
• Comparison Essay # 96017 : "Media Policy in South Africa"
• Persuasive Essay # 145988 : "History and Impact of Apartheid"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: