Categorias: Todos - victory - moderation - nationalism - campaign

por Caitlin Chacksfield 3 anos atrás

166

Reasons for the National Party's victory in 1948

The 1948 victory of the National Party can be attributed to a combination of factors. The United Party suffered from weak campaign strategies and internal perceptions of being too moderate, especially with leaders like Smuts and Hofmeyer advocating for less segregation and appearing overly concerned with international affairs.

Reasons for the National Party's victory in 1948

Reasons for the National Party's victory in 1948

Second World War

Stimulated Nationalism
Oxwagon Sentinel - many interned
Greyshirts (fascists)
Fighting against natural allies
Fanned by publications such as De Transvaler - Foited by Verwoerd (future PM)
Economic
75%of new manufacturing workers were black

Fear created as Smuts seemed to be supportive

Urbanisation

Fear in Country

Loss of power and workforce

Fear in cities

Jobs

Housing

Mixing

Appeal of the National Party

Understood the system and how to manipulate it
Grass roots energy
Herzoe's mineworkers
Easy to sell change
Simplicity of the message

The system of first past the post

Also, rural constituencies weighed more (15%)
Exacerbated by urbanisation
Established in 1910 constitution
National Party got 70 seats and the United party got 65
NP - 38% UP - 49%

Polled 37% in 1943 - 43 seats

Failings of the United Party

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

1946 Hofmeyer proposednon-racial health service

1942 Smuts stated that segregation had failed

Too close to Stalin
Too concerned with international affairs
Smuts was old and tired

Surge in nationalism

100th anniversary of Battle of Blood River - Voortrecker monument 1838, covenant with God
Broederband
Influenced by Dutch Reformed Church
How great was it? - 1943-48 The percentage of the vote by the NP and the Afrikaner parties went from 38% to 42%