What Is Afrikaner Natiionaism

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2. Why did the National Party dominate white politics in South Africa between 1948 and 1961? Afrikaner nationalism refers to the ideology or inner-feelings that grew among some Afrikaans-speaking people as in South Africa. That ideology made the Afrikaners to develop a strong sense of unity in order to protect and safeguard their interests, which were based on a feeling and thought that they were superior and better than people of other races. It started in the 18th century as a reaction to British imperialism and it later gained momentum as a driving force to segregate blacks from political, economic and social activities in South Africa. Afrikaner nationalism created a feeling of white supremacy among some Afrikaner and led them to create ‘apartheid’. Apartheid is the segregatory policies passed by the National Party after winning the 1948 elections. Those policies were aimed at separating South African people according to race and treating blacks as inferior. Keeping the races separate was seen by the Afrikaner people as the only way that they, as a minority in South Africa, could protect their language and culture and survive as a nation. There were factors that made the National party dominate white politics in South Africa from 1948 to 1961. The issue of race was more appealing to the Afrikaners to an extent that they overwhelmingly supported the National Party after 1948. Because of the white supremacy feeling, the Nationalist government banned social connections between whites and blacks. Apartheid policies established segregated schools, hospitals and other facilities. Best facilities were provided for whites. Blacks were not allowed to live with whites unless ‘they worked as servants or laborers for whites’. The National Party was seen as a best vehicle to deliver and safeguard white interest. As such it gained support from the white-only
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