Origins and causes of Apartheid
Misinterpretation of the Bible: The Dutch used the Biblical story about Noah and his sons to justify apartheid.
The influence of the Church: Preachers of the Dutch reformed Church
referred to the Dutch /Boers as God's chosen nation and added that
South Africa was their land of Canaan.
The development of Afrikaner nationalism: The Boers or Afrikaners as
they later came to be known, believed that they were a master race and
if their race was to be preserved, they had to practice apartheid to
avoid contamination.
The need to exploit Africa's wealth. The Dutch introduced apartheid so
as to monopolize South Africa's minerals, rich soils and conducive
living environment.
The need for cheap labour. The Boers had set up several plantations, factories and mines and needed labour.
It developed out of fear. When the whites realised that they were a
minority and that Africans and Asians were the majority, they developed
a fear that in future, the non- whites would easily combine to oust the
whites.
The influence of Nazism and Fascism. During the 2nd world War, the
Germans and Italians spread their nazi and fascist ideas by which
stronger races (whites) had a duty of ruling the weak ones (e.g
Africans). Being close relatives of the Germans, the Dutch teachers and
university professors took up and spread Nazism in South Africa.
The rise of African nationalism. As South African blacks became learned
and came into contact with nationalistic ideas, they started demanding
for political, economic and social reforms.
The need to limit competition with Asians. The commercially skillful
Asians had invested heavily in South Africa and were threatening to
over take the Boer merchants.
It was a way of fighting British Liberalism. There existed a number of liberal minded British at the Cape.
The fear of communism.
The rise of the Nationalist Party to power led to the introduction of apartheid.
National Movements and New States in Africa