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Apartheid Dbq Essay

451 Words2 Pages

The National party supported and enforced Apartheid, because it provided them with absolute power and political dominance in South African society. The National Party and whites who supported them believed in white superiority, and utilized apartheid laws as physical evidence that they were “superior”. In March of 1948 the National party released a statement which explained that Apartheid was necessary as it would be in the best interest of every race, and it was the only way to prevent a national suicide for whites (Doc 1). Because the National Party was white, and prioritized white superiority, they wanted to retain their power using Apartheid laws. For example, one discriminatory law the government imposed were pass laws, which stated Black South Africans had to carry passes which authorized their presence in white areas. …show more content…

Additionally, many members of the National Party attempted to justify their actions during Apartheid by claiming the system benefitted all races, when truly whites were the only ones who gained anything. South Africa's high commissioner Dr. A. L. Geyer vocalized in a speech that it was necessary for whites to hold political power in order to civilize Bantu people (Doc 3). Because Geyer was white and benefited from Apartheid, he used whatever justifications necessary to explain the government's actions. Many whites including Geyer who supported the Apartheid movement, believed in the white man's burden, which was the belief that it was the duty of the whites to civilize other races who were “immature”. The National Party agreed with the Apartheid system because it gave them control over races they believed were

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