APARTHEID - A History of Apartheid: South Africa and Beyond"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite...for to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."--Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom Apartheid was the system of oppression and racial division that dominated South Africa for nearly half a century, starting in the early 1950's. The country, during that time, was controlled by the white minority that mainly consisted of people with British and Dutch ancestry. As racial tensions deepened over time, the fascistic National Party took hold of South African politics and began to take away voting power from Africans who were native to the area. By the time Apartheid was summoned into law, the country had become a dangerous hotbed of Civil War and racial violence. We know the story of Nelson Mandela because of the tremendous courage he, and others belonging to African political groups, showed during this time. Though there was never an actual war, Apartheid may be better understood as a series of guerilla-style conflicts that took place due to social slavery and disenfranchisement. That's not to say that the only casualties of this law were psychological. Many people died. Women and children were massacred by the score. Society was crumbling down from all levels. Mandela was sent to jail and tortured as a political prisoner. This is the true story of apartheid in South Africa and beyond.