Notes
Those who like the 'ifs' of history may care to speculate on what would have happened if Jan Smuts had not been defeated in the South African election of 1948. South Africa would presumably have continued with its genteel, de facto system of white supremacy, perhaps making some concessions to 'world opinion'. It
not have would
— it never wilble_come a pluralist democracy but it might have avoided the unique isolation it has experienced for most of the last generation. As it happened, the Afrikaner nationalists came to power and Put into action a programme of revenge and reversal, revenge which undid the verdict of the Hoer War, reversal of all the modern age's adherence to the principle of racial equality. The result has not been good for South Africa and its peoples, including the Afrikaners, or for anyone else. 'Apartheid' has provided an enormous excuse for South African white liberals, an opportunity to absolve themselves of responsibility . for their country's history; South Africa's isol- t,1,°11 has been an excuse also for the rest of h'ne world and a wonderful opportunity for .,u1nbug. Foreign politicians ritually con- uernn South Africa, 'killing Botha with then- Mouths', but they do little for the ac- tual condition of South Africans, black or white. Mr Walter Mondale is a fine exam- re' He pours contumely on South Africa's u .,eader from a safe distance. If elected presi- ent (as he won't be) he would cut off all c,cullural even diplomatic, contact with South Africa. He would not, however, im- Aeril American prosperity by doing the one Africa, which would seriously damage South 'al, Inca, refuse to buy its gold, manganese and vanadium. Meanwhile, and quite un- co„nnected with the world's hostility, South liantriea has changed radically. It remains, e doubtless remain for a long time to snenne what it has always been, a caste orele,tY. But the classic Verwoerdian system aPartness', of rigid separation, has ru i .roken down under economic pressure. It is right that
ztha. Mrs Thatcher should meet Mr
If President Machel of Mozambique vi:tdeal with the Pretoria regime, so should go' Talking to anyone, private individual or thvernrnent, is always more likely to make Atill behave better than ostracising them. 0, the same time, the Prime Minister cut)? uld not deceive herself that either en- wourr,agement or strictures on her part will much change in South Africa. Time do that.
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