Does anyone know a good, accessible history of Apartheid South Africa? Elon aside I'm interested in explanations for why the regime ended when it did - ThreadSky

michaelhobbes.bsky.social • 52 days ago

Does anyone know a good, accessible history of Apartheid South Africa? Elon aside I'm interested in explanations for why the regime ended when it did

Reposted from Dean Obeidallah

As 2022 NY Times article notes about Musk: he was raised in apartheid South Africa in “elite, segregated white communities that were littered with anti-Black government propaganda." www.nytimes.com/2022/05/05/w...

Comments

chokoreetob.bsky.social•52 days ago

The books all lie - apartheid ended because of militant organizing and necklacing (sorta half serious).

dynamoxie.bsky.social•51 days ago

Well... no... but have you ever seen the movie (musical) Sarafina? Did you know they indefinitely detained high school kids for months for protesting legally mandated changes to curriculum? Would you like Whoopi Goldberg to explain it to you in song?

louisevans.bsky.social•52 days ago

just finished reading Gobodo-Madikizela's A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT, which is mostly NOT this (much more about the Truth and Reconciliation work) but which I can highly recommend and which does have a brief but clear history of the regime in the appendix.

louisevans.bsky.social•52 days ago

there's a very fascinating implicit portrait of what ended and what continued when the regime fell, though it left me with a lot more direct questions.

sumitapahwa.bsky.social•52 days ago

There's a documentary called Have You Heard from Johannesburg that lays out the history of apartheid and its end pretty well.

gammagilbulin.bsky.social•52 days ago

Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane is a window into why apartheid had to end.

karlajgroenewald.bsky.social•50 days ago

It ended because it wasn't profitable anymore. Sanctions from all over the world & divestment forced the Apartheid government to end their horror.
Anyone who says they had a change of heart is a liar.

jsphctrl.ft.com•52 days ago

David Welsh, Rise and Fall of Apartheid, and Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom has lots of detail on this. Both audiobooks!

athenepallas.bsky.social•52 days ago

Second this. Plus, if you can find it, there was a BBC series/book called 'The White Tribe of Africa' which was VG.

athenepallas.bsky.social•52 days ago

And Rian Malan's 'My Traitor's Heart' is very interesting (albeit by someone who appears to have subsequently gone mad).

bukkakestocracy.bsky.social•52 days ago

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0213565/

Sorry, I'll see myself out

africanadian.bsky.social•52 days ago

I will look, lived through it.

lindapitt.bsky.social•52 days ago

My Traitor’s Heart by Rian Malan is a brilliant book about Apartheid as it neared its end

tryingtoread.bsky.social•52 days ago

📌

stcronin.bsky.social•50 days ago

I've consistently gotten good book recommendations from r/askhistorians although it's been a while since I used it

iramjohn.bsky.social•52 days ago

My impression always was economic impact of trade sanctions + growing isolation + fall of the Berlin Wall (which meant the importance of SA as a bastion of anti-communism would end).

But I'd definitely be interested in what experts have to say.

mrcongeniality.bsky.social•52 days ago

A History of South Africa by Leonard Thompson is an excellent survey which includes the Apartheid era but is more expansive if you have interest in pre-colonial/Dutch occupation history as well.

https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300189353/a-history-of-south-africa-fourth-edition/

toneloaf.bsky.social•52 days ago

Glad to see someone already mentioned this!

michaelhobbes.bsky.social•52 days ago

Asterisk: Must be available on audiobook so I can listen on m'lil bike

kenalleman.bsky.social•52 days ago

My partner is Dr. Elizabeth Timbs, assistant professor of history at University of North Carolina Wilmington. She specializes in identities of Zulu speaking people in South Africa. She seconds Mandela's autobiography, and adds Thula Simpson’s History of South Africa.

potatocouch.bsky.social•52 days ago

📌

professorbutts.com•52 days ago

the war on cars continues apace

slowlys.bsky.social•52 days ago

Adding 'm'lil' to my vocaulary RIGHT NOW

bellamyj.bsky.social•52 days ago

Missed opportunity to call it a Lil Mike Bike.

johnmone.bsky.social•52 days ago

They would have happily encouraged a civil war amongst black South Africans in the era of Mandela’s release. “How South Africa nearly descended into civil war instead of a multi-racial democracy” Also look up “the hostel wars”

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/01/1173050613/how-south-africa-nearly-descended-into-civil-war-instead-of-a-multi-racial-democ

johnmone.bsky.social•52 days ago

And documentary evidence by photographers Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva of the AP; Ken Oosterbroek of the Jo’Burg Star and Kevin Carter who filed for the Star and freelanced. They all documented horrific trauma of Apartheid era.

dezdezdez.bsky.social•52 days ago

Sanctions. US sanctions are why Elon is here. Being wildly rich & successful in SA wasn't going to happen so he came to US to get wealthy (and even). Not serving in SA army was a side benefit, not primary reason IMHO. Might be easier to start with pop culture:
https://www.openculture.com/2021/08/how-steven-van-zandt-organized-the-sun-city-boycott-and-helped-catalyze-the-anti-apartheid-movement-1985.html

dezdezdez.bsky.social•52 days ago

It's probably why Elon is desperate to seem cool because for GenXers, rich white boys from South Africa were definitely not cool. But just a few years later, the rich white tech bros became cool (thanks US tech and biz press!)

texasinafrica.bsky.social•52 days ago

Paging @carolyneholmes.bsky.social, whose excellent book on the politics of memory in South Africa is not a history, but is also well worth your time. I'm not sure a good general history on audiobook exists.

carolyneholmes.bsky.social•52 days ago

Not on Audiobook, unfortunately, but Thompson’s “a History of South Africa” is great.

There’s also South Africa History Online” which is an encyclopedia, but they have audio for most of their entries.

The other one that comes to mind is “A Short History of SA” by Nattrass, which is newer.

carolyneholmes.bsky.social•52 days ago

There’s also Thula Simpson’s “A History of SA,” which again, I don’t think is on Audio.

notdred.bsky.social•52 days ago

Mandela’s autobiography (Long Walk to Freedom) is a very accessible place to start

4wheelworkout.bsky.social•52 days ago

Absolutely loved it

michaelhobbes.bsky.social•52 days ago

Morning Ed, thanks!

tdr26.bsky.social•52 days ago

That is where most of my understanding of the period comes from too.

dissembly.bsky.social•52 days ago

I would absolutely read something else.

tdr26.bsky.social•52 days ago

However it is aptly named. It is a very very long walk.

tonytif.bsky.social•52 days ago

Don’t miss Stephen Biko’s “I Write What I Like.”

notthegoddess2.bsky.social•52 days ago

Not a history book, but Kaffir Boy (a memoir) is moving and accessible (and on audiobooks).

k10death.bsky.social•52 days ago

any ideas @abbygateau.bsky.social?

abbygateau.bsky.social•52 days ago

Bold suggestion, but Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime does a good job on the experience of apartheid and is on audio. It would be a good jumping off point for heavier reading.

msbumblebee.bsky.social•52 days ago

If you really want to delve into it, read Derek Hook's psychoanalytic books on the Apartheid condition. They're not available as audio books though.

sewgreen.bsky.social•52 days ago

No Uncertain Terms: A South African Memoir - Helen Suzman

I don't see an audio book tho I do sometimes use text to speech apps for books in the public domain.

jinathhyder.bsky.social•52 days ago

Maybe @askhistorians.bsky.social have recommendations?

kombiz.bsky.social•52 days ago

Do amplify whatever you decide to go with because while i've gotten some of the history in books on other issues, i haven't gotten a south africa focused history. @rickperlstein.bsky.social has some overlap with the right in his books. Also this: https://newrepublic.com/article/162623/milton-friedman-legacy-biden-government-spending

patmaskell.bsky.social•52 days ago

Peter Hain has a number of books about South Africa, some are autobiographical

hawkinme.bsky.social•52 days ago

I’ve heard good things about Eve Fairbanks’ The Inheritors, which is more about the aftermath

christiaanptr.bsky.social•52 days ago

Not sure if it’s available in audiobook, and I have not yet had a chance to read it in full, but this is a generally considered a good resource.

https://www.amazon.com/South-Africa-Seminar-Studies-Nancy/dp/0367551004?tag=hydsma-20&source=dsa&hvcampaign=booksm&gbraid=0AAAAA-byW6C1xxjl2pqXqrz4KMtAkZ4Kh&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItZb32tjwigMVLjAIBR2AsiSnEAAYAiAAEgIPJPD_BwE&dplnkId=5660b274-bb6f-4840-b187-0c2bf3842327&nodl=1

berkeleyeve.bsky.social•52 days ago

thank you

christiaanptr.bsky.social•52 days ago

I’ll also plug Loubser’s “The Apartheid Bible” as an important resource for understanding the theological and nationalistic underpinnings of Apartheid (which I’d argue is necessary for understanding the eventual fall of the Nationalist Party).

spanishspy.bsky.social•52 days ago

About the immediate post-Apartheid situation - 'The Plot to Save South Africa' by Justice Malala

drewjmore.bsky.social•52 days ago

[Throughline] The Mandela Effect #throughline
https://podcastaddict.com/throughline/episode/176195248 via @PodcastAddict

longchicken.bsky.social•52 days ago

📌

dissembly.bsky.social•52 days ago

Please don't limit yourself to Mandela, he is a liberal darling but also a massively compromised centre-right figure who worked against the liberation movement that actually ended apartheid. Look for stuff by e.g. John S. Saul and Pambazuka Press.

craigburley.com•52 days ago

This is something @andrewfeinstein.bsky.social might know, as he was very much there

anotherhuman.bsky.social•52 days ago

It ended due to no longer being economically viable.
Someone put endgame (the movie) here but the book is also a good explanation.
Mandela's book is not a good explanation as to why it ended because it's more from his perspective and he was transitioning out of prisoned at the time (legally)

msviking.bsky.social•52 days ago

https://www.britannica.com/topic/apartheid

msbumblebee.bsky.social•52 days ago

Oh, as a sidenote. People often tend to overestimate the role of sanctions and boycotts in the downfall of the Apartheid regime while overlooking that there were radical unions and militant strikes in the mining sector that shook the system from within.

redranga.bsky.social•52 days ago

“People tend to overestimate black activism.”

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

William Beinart’s 20th century South Africa is the best overall - especially good on the financial and demographic factors alongside the politics.

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

Allister Sparks is most readable (he’s a journalist). The Mind of South Africa is very good on the whites /Afrikaners.

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

Tomorrow is Another country very good on the negotiated transition.

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

I would NOT recommend anything by RW Johnson, but it’s possible it might give insights into the Elon class.

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

All white men. Much other excellent writing on the political & social movements, internal politics etc by a much more diverse group of authors, but not as useful for that specific question.

srd.bsky.social•52 days ago

If you can get a copy, this is a decent watch: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1217616/

magicmarian.bsky.social•52 days ago

📌

vaskaraeca.bsky.social•52 days ago

This isn't the history but I think you might find this book an essential connecting text (Sadly, no audiobook) "Selling Apartheid: South Africa's Global Propaganda War" by Ron Nixon

rainofclones.bsky.social•52 days ago

It's a film but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_for_Peace puts the end of apartheid in the context of general decolonisation & Angola & Zimbabwe more specifically and whites in power deciding a settlement was better than hanging on & fighting to an end they saw as bloodier & likely to lose them more.

webinista.com•52 days ago

@johnedwinmason.bsky.social can you help here?

johnedwinmason.bsky.social•52 days ago

I'll have to see what's available as an audiobook.

ivyashe.bsky.social•52 days ago

This books is about the transition period - Trevor Noah's memoir is also a remarkable read
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bang-bang-club-snapshots-from-a-hidden-war-joao-silva/12385124?ean=9780465019786&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA7Y28BhAnEiwAAdOJUFKamvvP8baKoPDrBVXtTtAYH81fMB0PQh6txlFbEYdMw9pIFN-zGRoCnIoQAvD_BwE

consideratelocust.bsky.social•52 days ago

He never stayed to see the reckoning of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the insanely difficult work of rebuilding a just society with a Constitution the rest of the world can envy. He is ignorant of its depth & the beauty of multiculturalism. Ick.

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