Twentieth-Century South Africa

This text examines the forces - both destructive and dynamic - which have shaped 20th-century South Africa. The book draws on the rich and lively tradition of radical history writing on the country and weaves economic and cultural history into the political narrative. Apartheid and industrialization, especially mining, are central themes, along with the rise of nationalism in the Afrikaner and African communities. But the author also emphasizes the neglected significance of rural experiences and local identities in shaping political consciousness. The roles played by such key figure as Smuts, Verwoerd, de Klerk, Plaatje, and Mandela are explored, while historiographical trends are reflected in analyses of rural protest, white cultural politics, the vitality of black urban life, and environmental decay. The book assesses the analysis of black reactions to apartheid and the rise of the ANC.

William Beinart's meticulous, lively introduction to the story of the South African people through the twentieth century is an excellent place to start. The book is at once immensely readable, informative and timely, coinciding in South Africa with one of those rare, fleeting moments when there is a shared feeling of human liberation.

William Beinart is Professor of Race Relations, and and Fellow of St Anthony's College, Oxford. He has taught at Bristol, and studied at the University of Cape Town and the School of Oriental and African Studies, Londond. and Has held reseach fellowships at Rhodes and Yale Universities. He was joint editor of the Journal of Southern African Studies from 1982 to 1987, and has been chair of its editorial board since 1992.

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