Abstract:
The following few pages look into the political life and career of the unforgettable leader, who became inspiration to every living soul on the planet. Nelson R. Mandela, the South African President had the unparalleled traits of a string leader, patriot and administrator, which will be covered in brief in the following sections in this study.
Nelson R. Mandela: South Africa’s first black Representative
Born in July 1918 in a small village of Mvezo in South African Cape Province, Nelson Mandela spent his early childhood days under the British rule. In his autobiography about his days spent in the prison, Mandela wrote, “"No one in my family had ever attended school [] On the first day of school my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name. This was the custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education. That day, Miss Mdingane told me that my new name was Nelson. Why this particular name I have no idea." (Mandela).
During his schooling, he developed obsession for African history and anti-imperialistic views of Chief Joyi. The child Mandela considered British the benefactors. It was only during his teenage when he travelled to Tyhalarha with several other boys that his mind transformed the image of British rulers as the oppressors and Mandela took up a new name called Dalibunga (Abdool Karim).
Handshake with Political Administration
During 1930s, Nelson Mandela made it clear to gain further skills in a subject that could have him inducted in the royal house of Thembu. He chose privy counselling as the ideal stream to make his dream come true. In 1936, he started his secondary education in Engcobo’s Clarkebury Institute, the biggest institution for black people in Africa which was western styled. The following year in 1937, he moved to Methodist College in Healdstown where he became the prefect.
However, the steepest incline in Mandela’s educational career took formation during his Bachelor of Arts studies in University of Fort Hare, where he studied English, Politics, Native Administration and Roman Dutch Law. Until this moment, he avoided any involvement with African National Congress (ANC), a group that was extremely active in anti-British movements. During his first year of graduation, he faced a temporary setback when he got suspended for supporting Students Representative Council (SRC) boycott against quality of food (Abdool Karim). However, this brief punishment had a grave impression on the young mind of Mandela and he left without receiving the degree.
African National Congress Youth League and African-only Ideology
Among Nelson’s friends were a few Europeans, some Indians, some Jewish and many native Africans. It is hard to figure out when it was that made him inclined to racist opinion, but the year 1943 brought a huge transformation in the life of Nelson when he joined ANC where he met Anton Lembede. Mandela supported Lembede’s views and met another ANC lady activist from Engcobo, Transkei, Evelyn Mase, whom he married in 1944 (Abdool Karim).
In 1947, the president ship of ANC changed and Mandela was elected as an executive committee member under the leadership of C.S. Ramohanoe. Later, when Ramohanoe attempted to support Indians and communists, Mandela was one of the many members who forced his resignation, considering the attempt un-African (Nelson Mandela).
In 1948, during the South African general elections where only whites were allowed to vote, there arose an African dominated National Party, ‘Herenigde Nasionale Party’ initiated by Daniel Francois, which aimed at boycotting the whites-only rule that persisted that. Mandela was a known figure in ANC by this time, and he was soon inducted into the National Party for his ideology. In his autobiography, Mandela related this as “We had now guided the ANC to a more radical and revolutionary path” (Nelson Mandela). His devotion to politics carried him away from the academic demands, and he failed in his final year at Witwatersrand thrice, finally being denied his degree in 1949.
The Ideological Transformation: An Important Milestone
Mandela’s African-only ideology was outvoted continuously at several occasions and various political parties were in an attempt to get rid of the British suppression by united communist stepping. During this time, Mandela realized that he had failed to estimate the combined power of diverse communities; he was also deeply impressed by the thoughts of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. He embraced himself with the communist mind and faced a series of arrests and assaults for supporting the anti-British activities led by various communist parties.
‘Congress of the People’ and The Imprisonment
Uniting South African Indian Congress, coloured people’s Congress, Congress of Trade Unions and the Congress of Democrats, ANC planned Congress of the People in 1955 (Abdool Karim). It was a huge mass impression which banished Mandela from making any public appearance. In 1961, a verdict was passed in favour of Mandela in Treason Trial, where he escaped a serious punishment for inciting violence in the country. However, in 1962, police captured Mandela for similar allegations for which he was sentenced five years imprisonment. The Rivonia Trial began in 1963 when Mandela amazed the world by his here hour speech, that gained international attention. Inspired by the words, various high esteemed councils including World Peace Council called for release of defendants (Abdool Karim). Finally, on 12 June 1964, Mandela and two of his co-accused were sentenced life imprisonment instead of death.
Between 1964 and 1988, Mandela was shifted from one prison to the other, and the ruling Government in South Africa continued to live under threat that was evident with Mandela’s ideology spreading across various prisons, resulting in revolts nationwide.
The Presidency
Last decade of 20th century saw the end of apartheid and the first independent general elections were held in South Africa. ANC was victorious with applauding majority and Nelson Mandela was declared the first black chief executive on 10 May 1994. Mandela headed the Government of National Unity which had no experience in governance, but was determined with its Marxist ideology to bring peace and equality to the nation.
After finishing his term in 1999, due to various ailments, Mandela gave his farewell speech and resigned. However, he actively involved himself to inspire the world with his Marxist plans and the political determination to bring equality, which grew sky high during next 5 years until 2004 (Abdool Karim). His health refrained himself from making any further public appearances, and he finally rested in peace on 5 December 2013, at the age of 95 in Houghton, Johannesburg.
Conclusion
An arch-Marxist and the devout believer in democracy, Nelson Mandela sacrificed any years of his life in bringing true racial equality. The 1955 Freedom Charter created by Mandela exhibits his devotion and zeal towards erecting a nation that was financially strong, racially diverse and scientifically advanced. The former part of his youth which favoured African-only attitude was completely transformed to the socialist and communist mind that freed South Africa from the slavery and White rule. Nelson Mandela emerged as the true nationalist with an appealing motive that inspired the whole world. He not only freed his nation, but led the Government to the path that spoke of immense success, political stability and scientific advancement in the years to come.
Works Cited
Abdool Karim, S. S. 'Nelson R. Mandela (1918-2013)'. Science 343.6167 (2014): 150-150. Web.
Mandela, Nelson. Conversations With Myself. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010. Print.
