International Response to Apartheid Essay
I agree that the international response to apartheid assisted with its overall end. Although the
international protests and boycotts from the 1960s did create a pressurised climate of change, it was
the serious sanctions and disinvestments in the 1980’s that pushed the country into a weakened
economy and ultimately ensured the fall of Apartheid.
Apartheid was the social, economic, and political suppression of people of colour in South Africa.
News coverage of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre and 1976 Soweto uprising created greater
awareness of these injustices on both the internal and international fronts. The atrocious actions of
apartheid government drew criticism from Western governments and the United Nations.
Several European governments granted financial support to the ANC. The European people were
appalled by apartheid’s human rights abuses, and formed resistance groups aimed at persuading
their governments to take action against South Africa.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) was founded in 1959 and gained large momentum in Britain
and Ireland. Their goal was to end apartheid through boycotts and isolating South Africa from the
international community. The AAM set up the International Defence and Aid Fund to financially
assist the opponents of Apartheid, such as the ANC.
The pressure of the AAM continued until 1983, when President PW Botha decided to reform
Apartheid. He introduced the Tri-Cameral parliamentary system, in which there would be separate
parliaments for white, coloured, and Indian representatives. However, whites still held full political
power, and black people were excluded from political affairs. In Botha’s 1985 Rubicon, he stated
that major reforms of the Apartheid system would not be considered. This, and the Tri-Cameral
system, prompted more serious international actions taken against South Africa.
One of the major boycotts held was the sports boycotts. The South African Non-Racial Olympic
Committee campaigned against all-white South African teams in international sporting events.
South Africa was also formally expelled from the Olympic Committee. The Commonwealth
countries signed the Gleneagles Agreement to ban South African athletes from all world sports, and
South Africa was formally expelled from the Olympic Committee. Boycotts intensified in 1981,
when thousands protested against the Springbok rugby tour in New Zealand.
By the end of the 1980’s, South Africa was banned from 90% of world sport. In response, ex
sportsmen came to South Africa to compete in ‘rebel tours’, and internal sport competitions were
created. This however reduced South Africa’s sport-based income and tarnished their proud
“sporting image”.
The cultural boycotts were another way of pressuring the Apartheid system. South Africa was
isolated from international pop culture, with musicians refusing to perform there and the British
Screenwriters Guild banning the distribution of British films there. US artists also refused to
perform in SA and raised funds for liberation organisations.
Academic boycotts were also implemented, where many universities did not allow their scholars to
teach in South Africa or allow South Africans to attend conferences overseas. International
institutions refused to recognise South Africa degrees and consequently they became cut off from
the academic world.
I agree that the international response to apartheid assisted with its overall end. Although the
international protests and boycotts from the 1960s did create a pressurised climate of change, it was
the serious sanctions and disinvestments in the 1980’s that pushed the country into a weakened
economy and ultimately ensured the fall of Apartheid.
Apartheid was the social, economic, and political suppression of people of colour in South Africa.
News coverage of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre and 1976 Soweto uprising created greater
awareness of these injustices on both the internal and international fronts. The atrocious actions of
apartheid government drew criticism from Western governments and the United Nations.
Several European governments granted financial support to the ANC. The European people were
appalled by apartheid’s human rights abuses, and formed resistance groups aimed at persuading
their governments to take action against South Africa.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) was founded in 1959 and gained large momentum in Britain
and Ireland. Their goal was to end apartheid through boycotts and isolating South Africa from the
international community. The AAM set up the International Defence and Aid Fund to financially
assist the opponents of Apartheid, such as the ANC.
The pressure of the AAM continued until 1983, when President PW Botha decided to reform
Apartheid. He introduced the Tri-Cameral parliamentary system, in which there would be separate
parliaments for white, coloured, and Indian representatives. However, whites still held full political
power, and black people were excluded from political affairs. In Botha’s 1985 Rubicon, he stated
that major reforms of the Apartheid system would not be considered. This, and the Tri-Cameral
system, prompted more serious international actions taken against South Africa.
One of the major boycotts held was the sports boycotts. The South African Non-Racial Olympic
Committee campaigned against all-white South African teams in international sporting events.
South Africa was also formally expelled from the Olympic Committee. The Commonwealth
countries signed the Gleneagles Agreement to ban South African athletes from all world sports, and
South Africa was formally expelled from the Olympic Committee. Boycotts intensified in 1981,
when thousands protested against the Springbok rugby tour in New Zealand.
By the end of the 1980’s, South Africa was banned from 90% of world sport. In response, ex
sportsmen came to South Africa to compete in ‘rebel tours’, and internal sport competitions were
created. This however reduced South Africa’s sport-based income and tarnished their proud
“sporting image”.
The cultural boycotts were another way of pressuring the Apartheid system. South Africa was
isolated from international pop culture, with musicians refusing to perform there and the British
Screenwriters Guild banning the distribution of British films there. US artists also refused to
perform in SA and raised funds for liberation organisations.
Academic boycotts were also implemented, where many universities did not allow their scholars to
teach in South Africa or allow South Africans to attend conferences overseas. International
institutions refused to recognise South Africa degrees and consequently they became cut off from
the academic world.
