The dilemmas of South African liberalism : white liberals, racial ideology and the politics of social control in the period of South African industrialisation, 1887 to 1943
This thesis is an analysis of liberal ideology and its role in South African industrialisation during the period 1886-1948. It looks at the growth of a specifically South African ~liberal tradition~ out of nineteenth century Cape colonial origins and focuses on the development of liberal welfare and reform orientated organisations and agencies. Using the private papers and correspondence of the individuals involved in establishing this reform tradition, the thesis argues that South African liberals were only partially successful in the years before 1948 in emulating their western counterparts in institutionalising themselves as political mediators between the state apparatus and the burgeoning black working class. Lacking a sound political base in the narrow electoral franchise, liberals were forced increasingly onto the defensive as the old paternalist basis of Cape liberalism became eroded. Though for the period between Uni-on and the second world war able use was made of local level politics, the increase in democratic radicalism by the mid 1940s forced liberals towards reformulating their ideology into one of administrative reform from above on the basis of a model of ethnic pluralism. This theory has
Rich, Paul B.
DT Africa ; JQ Political institutions (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.)
The dilemmas of South African liberalism : white liberals, racial ideology and the politics of social control in the period of South African industrialisation, 1887 to 1943. This thesis is an analysis of liberal ideology and its role in South African industrialisation during the period 1886-1948. It looks at the growth of a specifically South African ~liberal tradition~ out of nineteenth century Cape colonial origins and focuses on the development of liberal welfare and reform orientated organisations and agencies. Using the private papers and correspondence of the individuals involved in establishing this reform tradition, the thesis argues that South African liberals were only partially successful in the years before 1948 in emulating their western counterparts in institutionalising themselves as political mediators between the state apparatus and the burgeoning black working class. Lacking a sound political base in the narrow electoral franchise, liberals were forced increasingly onto the defensive as the old paternalist basis of Cape liberalism became eroded. Though for the period between Uni-on and the second world war able use was made of local level politics, the increase in democratic radicalism by the mid 1940s forced liberals towards reformulating their ideology into one of administrative reform from above on the basis of a model of ethnic pluralism. This theory has
dilemma south_african liberalism white liberal racial ideology politics social_control period south_african industrialisation analysis liberal ideology role south_african industrialisation period look growth specifically south_african liberal tradition cape colonial origins focus development liberal welfare reform orientate organisation agency using private_paper correspondence individual_involve establish reform tradition argue south_african liberal partially successful emulate western counterpart institutionalise political mediator state_apparatus burgeon black work_class lacking sound political base narrow electoral franchise liberal force increasingly onto defensive old basis cape liberalism become erode though period second_world_war able use make local_level politics increase democratic radicalism force liberal towards reformulate ideology administrative reform basis model ethnic pluralism theory