Reasons for the National Party's victory in 1948

How great was it? - 1943-48 The percentage of the vote by the NP and the Afrikaner parties went from 38% to 42%

Influenced by Dutch Reformed Church

Broederband

100th anniversary of Battle of Blood River - Voortrecker monument 1838, covenant with God

Smuts was old and tired

Too concerned with international affairs

Too close to Stalin

Weak campaign

There was fear that Smuts and, in particular Hofmeyer, were too moderate

1942 Smuts stated that segregation had failed

1946 Hofmeyer proposednon-racial health service

National Party got 70 seats and the United party got 65

NP - 38%
UP - 49%

Polled 37% in 1943 - 43 seats

Also, rural constituencies weighed more (15%)

Established in 1910 constitution

Exacerbated by urbanisation

Simplicity of the message

Easy to sell change

Grass roots energy

Herzoe's mineworkers

Understood the system and
how to manipulate it

Economic

Urbanisation

Fear in cities

Mixing

Housing

Jobs

Fear in Country

Loss of power and
workforce

75%of new manufacturing workers were black

Fear created as Smuts seemed to
be supportive

Stimulated Nationalism

Fanned by publications such as De Transvaler - Foited by Verwoerd (future PM)

Fighting against natural allies

Greyshirts (fascists)

Oxwagon Sentinel - many interned