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Reflection on Nelson Mandela and Apartheid
In South Africa, Apartheid had become a system of governance. The system advocated for racial prejudice where the whites were the ruling class. The blacks were segregated. They were sidelined and made to settle in a filthy environment. They would walk around only with passes. They were given little education and employment opportunities. They were not allowed to participate in elections. Therefore, it was impossible to rule out the whites from the leadership. It was in response to racial equality that the African National Congress (ANC) movement was formed. The movement was to resist the oppressive system of governance. They wanted equal rights for all people despite the race (Krabill, 2010).
The leaders of ANC, Mandela included, with the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and other literature writers adopted a non-violent way of fighting for their rights. They would strike as well as organize boycotts. They avoided instances of bloodshed. However, the non-violent way of fighting for equality did not succeed. The people who were caught protesting were thrown in jail and sentenced to incarceration. Mandela included. When the blacks realized that peaceful demonstration did not work, there was a need to adopt a violent fight for equality (Madugba, 2015).
Mandela, a then President of ANC, initiated a violent resistance to apartheid. He was tried and found guilty of inciting youths to be violent and sentenced to life incarceration. However, his suffering was a motivation for the anti-apartheid movement. Being in prison, he continued to preach his views towards leadership. It explains the reason as to why he refused to trade his freedom and violent fight against apartheid (Gibbs, 2014). He constantly encouraged the anti-apartheid fighters.
His actions are justified since the blacks were oppressed. About the fact that a non-violent way of fighting for freedom had failed, they had no choice but to use a violent way to end apartheid. There was a need for equal treatment of all races. The actions of Nelson Mandela can be justified through the end results. To the end of the violence, the ANC was formalized, and Mandela was released. The black South Africans attained their freedom, and there was no revenge massacre (Crompton, 2007).
The use of violence in the fight against Apartheid brought peace in South Africa. The White South Africans who were the leaders and who used to oppress the black citizens were overthrown. The leader of NAC became the president when the party was elected to be the ruling party. Mandela, a president who was very rational, worked on the governance rules instead of inciting the blacks to revenge on the Whites. He managed to enhance peace and equality. The Whites in the country were protected by the laws just like the blacks, coloured and Indians (Madugba, 2015). Therefore, harmony was achieved in the nation, and this is what Mandela desired for his country.
Eearly modern ethical thinkers Hobbes, Hume, and Kant, believed that everyone had a right to need something. Therefore, they would do anything to acquire what they wanted. In addition to that, they added that those who desired something were supposed to be given. Therefore, they support the actions of Mandela. Mandela wanted to emancipate his people from the oppressive governance. He tirelessly toiled for freedom and equality. Therefore, he had to do anything, including inciting the youths to be involved in the violent anti-apartheid movement.
References
Crompton, S. E. (2007). Nelson Mandela: Ending apartheid in South Africa. New York: Chelsea House.
Gibbs, T. (2014). Mandela’s kinsmen: Nationalist elites & apartheid’s first Bantustan. London: James Currey Publishing
Krabill, R. (2010). Starring Mandela and Cosby: Media and the end(s) of Apartheid. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Madugba, S. (2015). Mandela: Echoes of Apartheid and Impunity: Chronological Predictions and Fulfillments. Johannesburg: Author House.