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Liberalism in South Africa

 

 
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Liberalism in South Africa
 
 
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This article gives an overview of liberal parties in South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
. It is limited to liberal
Liberalism

Liberalism is a broad class of political philosophy that considers individualism liberty and equality to be the most important political goals....
 parties
Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
 with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament.

ralism was not organized in South Africa until 1953, although there was some liberal tradition in parties present at the time. This changed in 1953 with the formation of the anti-Apartheid South African Liberal Party, which was multi-racial.






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This article gives an overview of liberal parties in South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
. It is limited to liberal
Liberalism

Liberalism is a broad class of political philosophy that considers individualism liberty and equality to be the most important political goals....
 parties
Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
 with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament.

Introduction

Liberalism was not organized in South Africa until 1953, although there was some liberal tradition in parties present at the time. This changed in 1953 with the formation of the anti-Apartheid South African Liberal Party, which was multi-racial. A second liberal tradition started in 1959 with the forming of the Progressive Party.

The timeline


South African Liberal Party

  • 1953: The South African Liberal Party
    South African Liberal Party

    The Liberal Party of South Africa was a South African political party from 1953 to 1968....
     is formed by Alan Paton
    Alan Paton

    Alan Stewart Paton was a white South African author and liberal political activist....
  • 1968: The SALP is outlawed by the Apartheid regime


From Progressive Party to Democratic Alliance

Progressives or Democrats
  • 1959: Liberal members of the conservative United Party
    United Party (South Africa)

    The United Party was South Africa ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister James Barry Munnik Hertzog National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party ....
     seceded and formed the liberal Progressive Party
    Progressive Party (South Africa)

    The Progressive Party was a liberal South African party that opposed the ruling National Party policies of apartheid. For years its only member of Parliament of South Africa was Helen Suzman....
    . The parliamentary party is led by Helen Suzman
    Helen Suzman

    Helen Suzman, Order of the British Empire was a South African anti-apartheid activist and Politics of South Africa....
  • 1975: The party merged with the Reform Party
    Reform Party (South Africa)

    The Reform Party was a political party that existed for just five months in 1975.The Reform Party was created on February 11 by a group of four MPs who left the United Party under the guidance of the leader of the United Party in the Transvaal, Harry Schwarz, who became the party's leader....
     led by Harry Schwarz
    Harry Schwarz

    Harry Heinz Schwarz is a former leading South African anti-apartheid politician, diplomat, and jurist.Harry Schwarz's political career started with sitting on the Johannesburg city council from 1951-1957....
    , a faction of the United Party, and became the Progressive Reform Party
    Progressive Reform Party

    The Progressive Reform Party was a South African party that was formed on 26 July, 1976 by the fusion of the Reform Party and Progressive Party ....
  • 1977: After the dissolution of the United Party, former members merged into the PRP, which is renamed the Progressive Federal Party
    Progressive Federal Party

    The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a Federation constitution, in place of apartheid....
  • 1987: National Party MP Wynand Malan
    Wynand Malan

    Wynand Malan is a liberal Afrikaner South African politician.A lawyer, Malan entered politics in the South African general election, 1977 when he was elected to the South Africa's white minority rule Parliament of South Africa as the National Party MP for Randburg....
     quits the governing party to protest PW Botha's policies. South African Ambassador to the UK Denis Worrall
    Denis Worrall

    Denis John Worrall is an academic, businessman, and former politician and diplomat. He was South African ambassador to Australia from 1982 to 1984 and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987....
     quits his post in order to return to South Africa and fight apartheid. The two form and lead the liberal Independent Party
    Independent Party (South Africa)

    The Independent Party was founded in 1987 by Denis Worrall and Wynand Malan. Its purpose was to protest against the National Party's shift in policy from reform to security....
    .
  • 1988: The PFP merged with the newly founded National Democratic Movement and the Independent Party into the Democratic Party
    Democratic Party (South Africa)

    The Democratic Party was the name of the South African political party now called the Democratic Alliance . Although the Democratic Party name dates from 1989, the party existed under other labels throughout the Apartheid years, when it was the Parliamentary opposition to the ruling National Party of South Africa's policies....
  • 2000: The DP merged with the conservative New National Party
    New National Party

    New National Party may refer to:* New National Party of Grenada* New National Party ...
     into an alliance, the Democratic Alliance.
  • 2001: The NNP left the alliance and the DP continues as the present-day Democratic Alliance
    Democratic Alliance (South Africa)

    The Democratic Alliance is a liberal parties South African political party, and the official opposition to the ruling African National Congress....


Liberal leaders

  • South African Liberal Party: Alan Paton
    Alan Paton

    Alan Stewart Paton was a white South African author and liberal political activist....
  • United Party: Harry Schwarz
    Harry Schwarz

    Harry Heinz Schwarz is a former leading South African anti-apartheid politician, diplomat, and jurist.Harry Schwarz's political career started with sitting on the Johannesburg city council from 1951-1957....
  • Progressive Party Jan Steytler
    Jan Steytler

    Jan Steytler was a liberal South African Member of Parliament and the first leader of the Progressive Party , a liberal party which formed in 1959 when several MPs left the opposition United Party because they felt it was too conservative....
    , Colin Eglin
    Colin Eglin

    Colin Wells Eglin is a South African politician. He was born at Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa on 14 April, 1925.He was the first to graduate from the University of Cape Town with a BSc degree in quantity surveying in 1946....
    , Bernard Friedman
    Bernard Friedman

    Dr Bernard Friedman , was a surgeon, politician, author, businessman, and outstanding orator who co-founded the anti-apartheid Progressive Party ....
  • Progressive Party in Parliament Helen Suzman
    Helen Suzman

    Helen Suzman, Order of the British Empire was a South African anti-apartheid activist and Politics of South Africa....
  • Reform Party Harry Schwarz
    Harry Schwarz

    Harry Heinz Schwarz is a former leading South African anti-apartheid politician, diplomat, and jurist.Harry Schwarz's political career started with sitting on the Johannesburg city council from 1951-1957....
  • Progressive Reform and Progressive Federal Party: Colin Eglin
    Colin Eglin

    Colin Wells Eglin is a South African politician. He was born at Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa on 14 April, 1925.He was the first to graduate from the University of Cape Town with a BSc degree in quantity surveying in 1946....
    , Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
    Frederik van Zyl Slabbert

    Frederik van Zyl Slabbert was a South African politician and is currently a political analyst and businessman. He is best known for being the leader of the official opposition ? the Progressive Federal Party ? in the South African parliament from 1979 to 1986....
    , Zach de Beer
    Zach de Beer

    Zacharias Johannes de Beer was a liberal Afrikaner South African politician and businessman. He was the last leader of the liberal Progressive Federal Party and then the co-leader of the new liberal Democratic Party ....
  • Independent Party: Denis Worrall
    Denis Worrall

    Denis John Worrall is an academic, businessman, and former politician and diplomat. He was South African ambassador to Australia from 1982 to 1984 and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987....
    , Wynand Malan
    Wynand Malan

    Wynand Malan is a liberal Afrikaner South African politician.A lawyer, Malan entered politics in the South African general election, 1977 when he was elected to the South Africa's white minority rule Parliament of South Africa as the National Party MP for Randburg....
  • Democratic Party: Denis Worrall
    Denis Worrall

    Denis John Worrall is an academic, businessman, and former politician and diplomat. He was South African ambassador to Australia from 1982 to 1984 and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987....
    , Wynand Malan
    Wynand Malan

    Wynand Malan is a liberal Afrikaner South African politician.A lawyer, Malan entered politics in the South African general election, 1977 when he was elected to the South Africa's white minority rule Parliament of South Africa as the National Party MP for Randburg....
    , Zach de Beer
    Zach de Beer

    Zacharias Johannes de Beer was a liberal Afrikaner South African politician and businessman. He was the last leader of the liberal Progressive Federal Party and then the co-leader of the new liberal Democratic Party ....
  • Democratic Alliance: Colin Eglin
    Colin Eglin

    Colin Wells Eglin is a South African politician. He was born at Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa on 14 April, 1925.He was the first to graduate from the University of Cape Town with a BSc degree in quantity surveying in 1946....
    , Zach de Beer
    Zach de Beer

    Zacharias Johannes de Beer was a liberal Afrikaner South African politician and businessman. He was the last leader of the liberal Progressive Federal Party and then the co-leader of the new liberal Democratic Party ....
    , Tony Leon
    Tony Leon

    Anthony James Leon is a South African politician and the former leader of the Democratic Alliance , South Africa's main opposition party and former Leader of the Opposition ....
    , Helen Zille
    Helen Zille

    Helen Zille is the Mayor of Cape Town, leader of South Africa opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and candidate for Premier of the Western Cape in the South African general election, 2009....
     


Liberal thinkers

In the Contributions to liberal theory
Contributions to liberal theory

This is a partial list of individual contributions to Liberalism on a worldwide scale. These individuals are strongly associated philosophers of the Enlightenment....
 the following South African thinkers are included:

  • Alan Paton
    Alan Paton

    Alan Stewart Paton was a white South African author and liberal political activist....
     (1903-1988)
  • Edgar Brookes
    Edgar Brookes

    Professor Edgar Harry Brookes was a South African Liberal Party senator and South African representative to the League of Nations....
  • Donald Molteno


Liberal organisations


  • Helen Suzman Foundation
    Helen Suzman Foundation

    The Helen Suzman Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think-tank in South Africa dedicated to promoting liberal democracy values and human rights in post-apartheid South Africa through its research and publications....
  • Centre for Development and Enterprise
    Centre for Development and Enterprise

    The Centre for Development and Enterprise is a South African public policy think-tank. It researches and advocates on issues of economic development, social development and democracy with a focus on the role of markets and capitalism....
  • South African Institute of Race Relations
    South African Institute of Race Relations

    Established in 1929 the South African Institute of Race Relations is a leading research and policy organisation in South Africa. The Institute is "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country," and is independent of government and all political parties; it sees its role as serving its members and the country at large to make South A...
  • Black Sash
    Black Sash

    The Black Sash was a non-violent white women's resistance organization founded in 1955 in South Africa by Jean Sinclair. The Black Sash initially campaigned against the removal of Coloured or mixed race voters from the voters' roll in the Cape Province by the National Party government....


Liberal journalists


  • Barry Streek
    Barry Streek

    Barry Streek was a South African political journalist and anti-apartheid activist.Barry Streek was educated at Michaelhouse and then studied journalism at Rhodes University in Grahamstown from 1967 to 1970....
     (1948-2006)


See also

  • History of South Africa
    History of South Africa

    The history of South Africa is marked by imigration and ethnic conflict. The Khoisan peoples are the aboriginal people of the region who have lived there for millennia....
  • Politics of South Africa
    Politics of South Africa

    In the current politics of South Africa, the African National Congress is the ruling party at a national level, and in most provinces, having received 69.7% of the vote during the South African general election, 2004 and 66.3% of the vote in the South African municipal election, 2006....
  • List of political parties in South Africa
    List of political parties in South Africa

    A list of Political party in South Africa. South Africa is a democratic but one party dominant state with the African National Congress in power....