Question

The policy of dividing and segregating people on the basis of their skin, as practiced in South Africa, is called _____.
A) Apartheid
B) Separation
C) Untouchability
D) Secularism

Answer 1

Hint:
- Nelson Mandela was a significant figure in the fight against this inequality.
- It was a lawful discrimination i.e. it was part of the law during that time.

Complete answer:
In a government dominated by white officials, institutionalized racial segregation was very significant. This segregation ensured that South Africa as a nation was dominated politically, socially and economically by the white population. Though this discrimination was present way before the 20th century, it became a legal part of the law in South Africa in the 1940s.

The first apartheid law that was imposed was the prohibition of interracial marriage in 1949. It prohibited the marriage between Europeans and Non-Europeans. Later from 1960 to 1983, millions of black Africans were displaced from their homes and forced separated neighborhoods as per the apartheid legislation. This discrimination gave rise to one of the most influential social moments in the world in the 20th century.

A) The African National Congress containing young leaders started an internal resistance in 1949 itself. In the 1970s and 80s, the resistance became increasingly militant and violent. It brought cracks to the National Party government and left thousands of people dead or in detention. It took them more than forty years to finally abolish apartheid in 1991.
B) Option (B) Separation - It is a term used to refer to the separation of powers between the different functional organs of government. For e.g. Executive, Legislative and Judiciary.
C) Option (C) Untouchability - It is a social discrimination arising from the ancient Vedic literature, which divides society into higher and lower castes. The lower castes were referred to as the untouchables, until untouchability was abolished by the Indian Constitution.
D) Option (D) Secularism - Is the policy of governance, in which all the policies of the state are separate from any religious institutions or influences.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (A) Apartheid

Note: Nelson Mandela was the most significant leader in this movement. He was even sent to prison by the white government for 27 years. The general elections of 1994 were the first multiracial elections to take place in South Africa. 27th April is celebrated as Freedom Day, which marks the anniversary of the first non-racial elections.