Biko Flashcards
(8 cards)
1
Q
What is Steve Biko like?
A
- Talented: attempted to fill the political vacuum created by the imprisonment in Robben Island of most of ANC and PAC leaders
- Intelligent: used to study medicine
- Eloquent and charismatic: appealed to younger generation of blacks
2
Q
Why were the younger generations of blacks frustrated with the anti-apartheid movements?
A
- Lack of progress made by ANC and PAC
- Distrusted ANC principle of inclusiveness
3
Q
What concept was Biko attracted to?
A
- ‘Black Consciousness’
- Promoted liberation but stressed the responsibility of each individual to achieve it for themselves
- Emphasised the virtues of patience and non-violence
- To seek confrontations with the Apartheid regime from a position of weakness (led to e.g. Sharpeville Massacre)
4
Q
What organisations did Biko found to promote black consciouness?
A
- All-black South African Students’ Organisation (SASO)
- Black People’s Convention
5
Q
Why did the regime originally like Biko’s idea?
A
- Thought that it would help establish the principle of separation
- Negative attitudes when realising that Biko’s vision was that blacks were not limited to their ‘homelands’
6
Q
How did the regime punish Biko for his idea?
A
- 1973 banned from speaking in public so he went underground
- Arrested 29 times
- 1975 charged with terrorism, SASO declared illegal (so it went underground too)
- 1977 arrested and beaten to death by security forces
7
Q
What happened after Biko’s death?
A
- Martyr of resistance to the regime
- Led to violent protests in South Africa
- UN and US government questioned circumstances of his death
- Inspirational
8
Q
What was Biko’s major limitation?
A
- Exclusion of whites
- ‘Placed a low ceiling’ on how much he could achieve politically
- Western governments would not have supported a racially exclusive opposition leader (while ANC and Mandela committed to racial inclusivity so they succeeded)
