Based off the weekly readings, South Africa seems like a very diverse country, but also a country filled with ethnic and cultural tension. Until recently, whites were deemed as superior to black Africans and promoted the policy of Apartheid. The country continues to struggle with its leadership; the current leader is seen as corrupt and uneducated. The effects of the debilitating policies of the past continue to be present.
Something that surprised me was the past tensions between the British settlers and the Dutch Boers. Apartheid was based on white vs. black policies, but even within the white South African community, tensions between whites existed, I did not know that the Boers had tried to create their own state separate from that of the British Cape Colony.
A strength I see is South Africa's multicultural background and history. Being composed of so many nationalities, it makes it more difficult for one group to dominate without reaction from other groups. However, a challenge is the lack of effective leadership; the current leader seems ineffective yet likely to win the upcoming elections.
I was fascinated by South Africa's international relations policy. Both with China and Sudan, the country is trying to increase global cooperation and trade. This could be beneficial for the country, however, both these trading partners are infamous for their autocratic and oftentimes corrupt governments.
A question I have for Mr. Gilmour is if he thinks it would be likely for South Africans to vote for a white president given the mistreatment seen as a result of previous white leaders.
I think the multicultural background and history is really intriguing, but like you said, it is going to be challenging for each groups to coexist with out problems arising. With the upcoming elections, I am interested in seeing who is elected and what their impact is going to be on the country.
ReplyDeleteWhat would be so great for this country is for another great leader like Nelson Mandela to come along to help political and social development along. In just twenty years, South Africa has made great milestones, so hopefully in this next generation all these different ethnic groups to acknowledge each other peacefully and work together. This may be naive of me to say, but it would ideal for them to set aside power struggles to build a great nation as a whole.
ReplyDeleteInteresting you brought up China and Sudan as partners in trade. I agree, I think what would be beneficial for the country is trading with a country or countries that promote equality and democracy, not oppressive governments.
ReplyDeleteThe diversity in South Africa was also surprising to me. I always thought it was just black and white, when in fact it is much more complicated. The whites are descendants from different areas in Europe, and the blacks are comprised of many different tribes. I thought it was also interesting that there are quite a few Indians and Asians living in South Africa who were also affected by Apartheid.
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ReplyDeleteI thought to that voting for a corrupt leader would make a huge impact in movement moving forward. I am curious to if the government policies will change and how it may benefit South Africa;s development.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up a really good point that the current leadership is seen to be corrupt and uneducated. What will that do for a society of people who have taken strives to make change and will this hinder South Africa improvement?
ReplyDeleteThis post is really helpful given the bigger context of things. Do you see how a lot of these tactics and themes are playing out in modern protests and plights for justice? Interesting.
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