Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Communism and the Cold War - Coggle Diagram
Communism and the Cold War
South African Communist Party
(SACP)
Stigma regarding SACP within the ANC
Many members of the ANC feared that extensive involvement with the SACP would lead to a massive crackdown using said involvement to justify arrests under the Anti-Communism Act
Other members of the ANC were hesitant to be too involved with the ANC as they believed the ANC should be devoid of any white members/influence
"But because of Pretoria's special definition of "statutory communism," devised against the background of the escalating Cold War, they could all be branded as dangerous revolutionaries who were taking over the ANC, thus scaring other potential supporters away." -Pg.87
Another factor that lead to part of the ANC being against the SACP was simple ideological differences, with the SACP pushing for a marxist society completely devoid of any social classes
SACP aid to the ANC
Helped with organising meetings, non violent protests and demonstrations, and political campaigns such as the Freedom Charter and Defiance Campaign
Cold War
During the Cold War, the white regime used the anti-communist sentiment, and thus the Communists' support for the anti-apartheid movement, gave the government an excuse to induce even stricter pro-apartheid laws
The Suppression of Communism Act (1950)
Passed shortly after apartheid was officially recognized
This law allowed the government to label anti-apartheid movements, strikes and demonstrations as "communist"
Anti-communist countries in the West (such as the US and UK) saw the preservation of Apartheid as vital to containing the outbreak of communism in South Africa
South Africa claimed that it was a vital capitalist defense against the spread of communism in Africa
“Statutory communism”
Very broad government definition
Even non-communist opponents could be labelled communist
Allowed Pretoria to treat political opposition as a security threat
Western anti-communism
Cold War made communism highly controversial internationally
Government used anti-communist sentiment to gain support
Helped portray ANC resistance as part of an international communist threat
Impact on resistance
Increased fear of government repression
Created suspicion between different anti-apartheid groups
Made cooperation with the SACP politically controversial
Defiance Campaign
Organizers of the Defiance Campaign involved many disbanded CPSA members such as Moses Kotane, Dr. Yusuf Dadoo, etc...
The Suppression of Communism Act was used an excuse to arrest multiple influential Defiance Campaign pioneers including Nelson Mandela. They were all charged with "promoting communism"
Freedom Charter
A devout communist in Rusty Bernstein was one of (if not the) most influential people to draft the Freedom Charter
The charter largely adopted communist/marxist values such as "the people shall share in the country's wealth". This called for the nationalization of banks, monopoly industries and mineral wealth.
THESIS:
Communists proved to have moderate influence upon the Defiance Campaign in South Africa, but significantly influenced the Freedom Charter through Rusty Barnstein, and the embodiment of Communist Values. The Cold War on the other hand had a very limited influence on South Africa in the 1950s.