Sitting inside a barren prison cell, six miles off the coast of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela, famed political prisoner, took comfort in William Ernest Henley’s poem “Invictus” and recited to himself “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” Several decades later, on May 10, 1994, that same prisoner stood in front of his country and was inaugurated as its first black president, becoming the master of South Africa’s fate and the captain of the rainbow nation’s soul. That eventful day signaled more than a leadership change; it signaled the end of apartheid and the birth of a democracy. South Africa’s path to democracy was influenced by economic and political factors.
The economic interests of the masses and elites sparked the events …show more content…
The behind-the-scenes meetings and negotiations that made democracy a reality for South Africa were contingent on the relationships between the ANC members and National Party officials and their personal views. Without a doubt, the most important figure in the negotiations was Nelson Mandela. Mandela served as a martyr for Africans everywhere and as the lead member of the ANC with the complete backing of other leaders. When Mandela began meetings with high-ranking members of the National Party, it was clear that he was willing to forgive the state for imprisoning him and their wrongs against Africans and the ANC, but he would not compromise on democracy (Sparks). He was also easily able to gain the respect of National Party leaders and form a good working relationship (Sparks). His personality and bond with leaders from both parties caused negotiations to progress smoothly. Had Mandela held a grudge and been hostile towards National Party leaders like another activist might have been, it is likely the state would have seen this as a refusal to cooperate and curtailed the negotiations. The democratization also hinged on the presidents’ views. While in office, President Botha recognized the country was heading towards democracy, so he allowed the negotiations to continue and even spoke with Mandela personally. Out of fear of appearing weak, he refused to release Mandela, but his willingness to allow the meetings to progress left the door open for De Klerk to finish the negotiations (Sparks 49-55). Had the president been someone who was firmly against democracy, the meetings would have never been permitted or continued. De Klerk’s assumption of the presidency was vital for the same reason. De Klerk was much more progressive than Botha, so he decided to legalize the ANC, release its leaders, and allow protests to take place, which a conservative president would not have done (Sparks
The economic interests of the masses and elites sparked the events …show more content…
The behind-the-scenes meetings and negotiations that made democracy a reality for South Africa were contingent on the relationships between the ANC members and National Party officials and their personal views. Without a doubt, the most important figure in the negotiations was Nelson Mandela. Mandela served as a martyr for Africans everywhere and as the lead member of the ANC with the complete backing of other leaders. When Mandela began meetings with high-ranking members of the National Party, it was clear that he was willing to forgive the state for imprisoning him and their wrongs against Africans and the ANC, but he would not compromise on democracy (Sparks). He was also easily able to gain the respect of National Party leaders and form a good working relationship (Sparks). His personality and bond with leaders from both parties caused negotiations to progress smoothly. Had Mandela held a grudge and been hostile towards National Party leaders like another activist might have been, it is likely the state would have seen this as a refusal to cooperate and curtailed the negotiations. The democratization also hinged on the presidents’ views. While in office, President Botha recognized the country was heading towards democracy, so he allowed the negotiations to continue and even spoke with Mandela personally. Out of fear of appearing weak, he refused to release Mandela, but his willingness to allow the meetings to progress left the door open for De Klerk to finish the negotiations (Sparks 49-55). Had the president been someone who was firmly against democracy, the meetings would have never been permitted or continued. De Klerk’s assumption of the presidency was vital for the same reason. De Klerk was much more progressive than Botha, so he decided to legalize the ANC, release its leaders, and allow protests to take place, which a conservative president would not have done (Sparks