CASE STUDY: SOUTH AFRICA: THE RISE OF AFRIKANER

NATIONALISM

Grade: 11Term: 3

Topic: 4 – NATIONALISMS – SOUTH AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Sub-Topic: CASE STUDY: SOUTH AFRICA: THE RISE OF AFRIKANER NATIONALISM

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The Rise of Afrikaner nationalism and the Volk

• It was only in the 20th century that the term'Afrikaner' came to be used to describe a group ofpeople who spoke Afrikaans.

• At this time, the National Party created a form ofexclusive ethnic nationalism to protect theexclusive ethnic nationalism to protect theAfrikaner 'people' or Volk.

• It is important to remember that before the 20thcentury, Afrikaners in the Cape Colony were oftendisunited and fractured. (Remember thesplintered trekker parties during the Great Trek.)

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• By the end of the 19th century, Britain'sattempts to expand into the interior hadaroused strong nationalist feeling in the Boerstates.

• The discovery of mineral wealth (firstdiamonds and then gold) in the Boer territoriesdiamonds and then gold) in the Boer territoriesled to an influx of foreigners (particularlyBritish) into the interior.

• As a result the British decided to annex theSouth African Republic (ZAR) in 1877.

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• The sense of national identity was furtherstrengthened amongst the Afrikaners whenthey challenged the British in the Anglo-BoerWars (1880-1881; 1899-1902).

• The second Anglo-Boer War, or South African

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• The second Anglo-Boer War, or South AfricanWar, was a particularly important factor inbuilding Afrikaner nationalism as Afrikanerswitnessed the pain and suffering of theirwomen and children in the Britishconcentration camps.

Afrikaner kids in British concentration camps during the South African War

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The rise of the Afrikaans language movement

• In 1910 South Africa gained politicalindependence from Britain.

• Boer leaders dominated the new government.

• Louis Botha and Jan Smuts were both ex-Boer• Louis Botha and Jan Smuts were both ex-Boergenerals.

• Botha became the first prime minister ofSouth Africa and Smuts his deputy.

• Both were committed to reconciling whiteEnglish and Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.

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Boer leaders dominated the new government.

LOUIS BOTHA JAN SMUTS

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• In 1914 exclusivist Afrikaners gained a politicalvoice for the future when the National Partywas formed under General J.B.M. Hertzog.

• Hertzog set about formalizing Afrikaans culture

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• Hertzog set about formalizing Afrikaans cultureand language.

• In 1925 Afrikaans replaced Dutch as an officiallanguage and the Bible was translated toAfrikaans.

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Afrikaner social and cultural movements

The Afrikaner Broederbond

• The Afrikaner Broederbond (AB) was a 'secret'organization.

• Its name meant the league of Afrikaner brothers.

• It was formed in 1918 and played a key role in protecting• It was formed in 1918 and played a key role in protectingand promoting Afrikaner identity and nationalism.

• Its members were young professionals, teachers, andministers of the Dutch Reformed Church.

• Its main aim was to further Afrikaner nationalism in SouthAfrica through culture, to promote Afrikaner businesses,and to take control of government.

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AFRIKANER BROEDERBOND

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AFRIKANER BROEDERBOND

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• The Afrikaner Broederbond supported Hertzogand the National Party initially and then threwits support behind D.F. Malan and the PurifiedNational Party (PNP) which was formed in1934.

• Afrikaner Broederbond members dominated

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• Afrikaner Broederbond members dominatedthe membership of Malan's new party.

• Every prime minister and state president ofSouth Africa between 1948 and 1994 was amember of the Afrikaner Broederbond.

The Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK - Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Societies)

In the 1930's the Broederbond worked closely

with an umbrella organisation known as theFederasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge(FAK - Federation of Afrikaans Cultural(FAK - Federation of Afrikaans CulturalSocieties) to promote Afrikaans culture.

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The Media

• Die Burger newspaper was started in CapeTown on 26 July 1915 to promote Afrikanernationalism, with D.F. Malan as its editor.

• In 1937, Die Transvaler newspaper was• In 1937, Die Transvaler newspaper wasestablished in the Transvaal, also with the aimof promoting Afrikaner nationalism.

• H.F. Verwoerd was the editor.

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D.F.MALAN AND H.F.VERWOERD

D.F. Malan H.F. Verwoerd

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The Great Trek celebrations

• A significant event in 1938 was the celebration ofthe centenary of the Great Trek, which helped topromote Afrikaner unity and pride in theirculture.

• Strong feelings of patriotism were inspired in• Strong feelings of patriotism were inspired inmany Afrikaners as they witnessed re-enactmentsof the Great Trek on the streets of Pretoria.

• People dressed in Voortrekker clothes and droveox-wagons from Pretoria to the VoortrekkerMonument, which had been built to mark theoccasion.

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Economic affirmative action in the 1920's and 1930's

• The Great Depression had a big impact on South Africaand many Afrikaners were forced off their land and intothe cities.

• As many of them were unskilled, they found that onlylow-paying manual labour jobs were open to them.low-paying manual labour jobs were open to them.

• The 1932 Carnegie Commission of enquiry into whitepoverty found that between 200 000 and 300 000whites were 'poor whites'.

• Most of them were Afrikaners and it became hugelyimportant for the future of the Volk that these poverty-stricken Afrikaners be rescued.

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• The Afrikaner Broederbond and the FAK stepped in,along with Afrikaner businesses, to resolve thepoor white problem and to promote socialupliftment through Afrikaner unity.

• Economic upliftment was assisted by two neworganisations: the Federale Volksbeleggings (FVB)and the Reddingsdaadbond (RDB, or RescueLeague).

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League).• These institutions aimed to mobilize capital and

encourage businessmen, workers, and Afrikanercommercial farmers to pool their financialresources and regain control of their savings.

• Financial institutions like Volkskas and Sanlamwere established for this purpose.

VOLKSKAS AND SANLAM

VOLKSKAS SANLAM

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• The Broederbond also promoted volkskapitalisme(people's capitalism) which aimed to take controlof the economy and bring it into line with theneeds of the Afrikaners.

• Its great achievement was that it accomplishedthis social and economic upliftment without usingstate resources.

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state resources.

• All "proper Afrikaners" had 10 duties. Amongthese were: every Afrikaner must become ashareholder in an Afrikaans credit organization;every Afrikaner must be a policyholder of anAfrikaans insurance company; and every Afrikanermust save and invest in an Afrikaans institution.'

Definition of the Volk• The "Volk" is the Afrikaans word for "people".• The Volk of the National Party meant white

Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.• In Afrikaner nationalist ideology, the "Volk" as a

whole was more important than the individual.• The Afrikaner "Volk" ideology aimed to unite• The Afrikaner "Volk" ideology aimed to unite

Afrikaners on the basis of race and language.• They did not interpret history along class lines.• They regarded the Volk as a 'nation' as more

important than the Afrikaner's economic or socialposition in society.

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Volk in relation to class and race issues in education

• The National Party government wanted to improve theeducation of the Volk (all Afrikaners - both middle classand working class).

• There were many working class Afrikaners and theNational Party made laws that stated that they were to beeducated in whites-only schools.educated in whites-only schools.

• They were taught in Afrikaans, by Afrikaans-speakingteachers, from Afrikaans textbooks.

• Education was aimed at creating unity of the Volk as a'race'.

• Heroic stories of the Great Trek and suffering during theSouth African War were taught in History lessons.

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• The Bantu Education Act (1953) created a separateand unequal education system in governmentschools.

• Bantu education served the interests of whitesupremacy.

• It denied black people access to the sameeducational opportunities and resources enjoyed

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educational opportunities and resources enjoyedby white South Africans. .

• A racist educational system meant that blackchildren were schooled to become labourers forwhites. The children of the Afrikaner Volk wereequipped to take up skilled and professional jobs.

Volk in relation to labour

• Many Afrikaner farmers were forced off the land during the economic depression after the First World War and the Great Depression in 1929. 1929.

• They moved with their families into the towns, but did not have the skills to find well-paying work.

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• Many South Africans were living in poverty, butspecial attention was paid to white poverty.

• White poverty contradicted the ideology of racialsuperiority.

• "The Poor White Problem in South Africa: Reportof the Carnegie Commission" (1932) was a studyof poverty among whites, and it recommended

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of poverty among whites, and it recommendedthat special protection should be given to whitelabour.

• After 1948, the National Party continued torescue poor Afrikaners as they were part of the'volk'.

• New Afrikaner trade unions were formed.

• The Afrikaner Bond van Mynwerkers(Mineworkers) and the Spoorbond werecreated to look after Afrikaner workers on therailways.

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railways.

• The National Party made efforts to bridge thegap between rich and poor Afrikaners.

Volk in relation to religion• Afrikaner religion comes from Protestant practices

of the Dutch Reformed Church of Holland.

• They believed that the Dutch Reformed Churchshould influence government policy and that theVolk should remain 'pure and separate'.Volk should remain 'pure and separate'.

• Afrikaner nationalists believed that the Volk werechosen by God to bring civilization and Christianityto 'uncivilized' and 'heathen' black people.

• Prime Minister D.F. Malan was a Dutch ReformedMinister.

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Nationalism in power: towards Apartheid

• The National Party under D.F. Malan, riding on the wave ofa recovery of Afrikaner pride in the 1930's and 1940's, tookcontrol of the political future of Afrikaners.

• Although there were some parallels between Afrikanernationalism and German Nazism, there were alsoimportant differences.important differences.

• Afrikaner nationalism was based on the principles ofChristian nationalism and did not try to exterminate thoseit considered inferior.

• The National Party promoted racial segregation as adesirable and beneficial ideology. It intended each 'racialgroup' to develop separately.

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The 1948 election and move towards Apartheid

• White labour shortages during World War Twoencouraged the growth of an urban black labourforce, which competed with Afrikaners for jobs.

• For this and other reasons, the National Party foughtthe 1948 election with the slogan of 'swart gevaar'the 1948 election with the slogan of 'swart gevaar'(black danger).

• After the National Party won the election, it broughtin its policy of Apartheid.

• The policy was strictly implemented and aimed atthe complete geographic, social, educational, andworkplace separation of all races.

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