1948 Election

Question 1

What was Afrikaner culture/belief?

Answer 1

• Hard-working, farming unfertile land
• Strict Christianity with Dutch Reformed Church
• Extreme racist and white supremacist, believed blacks were cursed by God
• Laager mentality (united to defend Apartheid)

Question 2

Why did the Afrikaners despise the English?

Answer 2

• Defeated at Second Boer War (1899-1902)
• SA supported UK in WW1 while Afrikaners supported Germany
• English dominance in the economy

Question 3

WW2

Answer 3

• Increased influx of blacks into cities due to shortage of workers, Afrikaners felt threatened
• In 1942, Smuts proposed to relax pass laws and improve education, stating ‘racial segregation’ was a failure
  
  • Proposed to set up a non-discriminatory health service in 1946, never did
• Afrikaners supported the Germans, setting up Nazi groups, e.g. Oxwagon Sentinel or Greyshirts

Question 4

Weakness of United Party

Answer 4

• Smuts old and tired, lacked new ideas. Focused too much on international relation (UN) rather than domestic
  Weak on the race relations, lost support of whites
• Overconfident as they had succesfullly overcome WW2
• 1948 stated that he would continue allowing influx of blacks into cities and towns

Question 5

Afrikaner Unity and Strengths

Answer 5

Broederbond united and provided financial support to Afrikaner businesses
Voortrekker Monument 1938, symbolised unity
Dutch Reformed Church offered education
National Party responded to Smuts with Apartheid policies
- focus on rural areas e.g. Albert Hetzhog mineworkers union in Transvaal
- P.W. Botha in the Cape

Question 6

Election results

Answer 6

D.F. Malan, National Party, won
79vs71 seats, 40% vs 50% popular vote