Hendrik Verwoerd And The Apartheid Essay

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Apartheid as defined by Hendrik Verwoerd is a policy in which one can do in the direction of what one regards as an idea . Apartheid is the form of a systematic segregation where people are isolated by social-economic status, race, gender and other classifications. Race is a coined modern term in which people are classified upon their distinct physical characteristics. Oxford dictionary explains that racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. In South Africa, the Apartheid legislation began in 1856 beginning with the Masters and Servants Act of 1856 . Over the years, multiple prime ministers up held this act and added even more to the Apartheid legislation. In the constant reinforcement of the apartheid, South Africa elected J.G Strijdom as the Prime Minister in November of 1954. He was a firm believer of segregation and he believed that the country should be full of pure white bred people . After he died, …show more content…

Hendrik Voewoerd was born on September 8, 1901 in Netherlands, Australia. At the age of two, he and his family traveled to South Africa, where his father hoped to become a missionary . During his childhood, his family was rarely stationary. At the tender age of 23, he earned his Ph.D. in psychology. Shortly after, he established the first department of sociology and social work in South Africa4. After finishing his studies in the 1930’s Voewoerd began his start in politics as chairperson of the Socio-Economic Committee. American sociology and America’s ideology of separate but equal fascinated Dr. Verwoerd. In 1948, he became the successor of J.G. Strijdom in South Africa. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, he was responsible for the start of the apartheid. His aim as prime minister was to hold up Afrikaner white domination. He chose to do so by using oppressive laws, and he used intimidation by using local security, police, and army to frighten the

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