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Liberalism in South Africa has encompassed various traditions and parties.

Various South Africans have contributed prominently to liberalism in the country. Cape liberalism played a key role in the politics of the Cape Colony, which enjoyed the non-racial Cape Qualified Franchise. From the foundation of the Union of South Africa, liberal ideas played a key role in ensuring certain political freedoms – including of speech and political participation – for the white population, whose own multiculturalism (particularly Afrikaner-British parity) it had guaranteed. Another key facet of liberalism in South Africa was advocacy for the reform or total abolition of apartheid. In the democratic era, liberalism lives on through the country's constitution, which features a far-reaching bill of rights, some separation of powers and checks and balances. It continues to be championed by some political parties, while the country's economic policy has features of liberalism despite being a mixed economy.

The moderate South African Party and its successor, the United Party, formed government several times between the formation of the Union and the election of the National Party in 1948. In 1959, members of the United Party formed the Progressive Party, a precursor to the present-day Democratic Alliance. Separately, in 1953, the anti-Apartheid and multi-racial Liberal Party of South Africa was formed, before disbanding in 1968.

Following the 2024 general elections, the liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) entered into a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC) and various other parties, breaking the ANC's dominance of national government since the end of apartheid.

History

Timeline

Progressive Party to Unionist Party

  • 1890: The Progressive Party was formed.
  • 1910: PP merged with the Constitutional Party from the Orange River Colony and the Progressives from the South African Republic to form the Unionist Party.
  • 1920: The Unionist Party merged into the ⇒ South African Party.

South African Party

  • 1911: The South African Party was formed of various pre-Union parties. Led by the moderate Louis Botha, it formed the first government of a united South Africa. The party's support base included English-speaking white South Africans who developed a pattern of supporting the most moderate Afrikaner politicians to avoid domination. The party's own 'liberal' wing was led by Jan Hofmeyr.
  • 1934: SAP merged into the United Party.

United Party

  • 1934: The United Party was formed in response to the Great Depression, combining Jan Smuts' South African Party and most of Barry Hertzog's National Party. The party increasingly resembled the former South African Party. The Reunited National Party, conversely, had campaigned on total racial separation. (1915–1998), editor of the liberal daily the Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg from 1957 to 1969
  • Barry Streek (1948–2006), political journalist.

Religion

  • South African Council of Churches (SACC): Beyers Naudé

Liberal organisations

  • Helen Suzman Foundation
  • South African Institute of Race Relations
  • Black Sash
  • Free Market Foundation

References

See also

  • History of South Africa
  • Politics of South Africa
  • List of political parties in South Africa