The South African government’s preservation of apartheid during the 1970s was confronted with contradictory dilemmas. The need for permanent semi-skilled, rather than unskilled migrant labour, for a capitalist economy contradicted the apartheid policy of development in separate spheres: serious urban unrest, illustrated by the Soweto riots in 1976 when 575 people were killed, forced the realisation that repression alone was unsuccessful in quelling black agitation and that reform of the apartheid system was required, whilst the introduction of hostile governments in neighbouring states removed South Africa’s buffer zone protecting it from African clamour for the overthrow of apartheid. This ‘Total Onslaught,’ perceived as being orchestrated by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, threatened to replace South African apartheid with Marxist communism by overrunning white supremacists with a black proletariat. Under the emergent leadership of Pieter Willem Botha, the government adopted an all-encompassing policy of regional security measures with concomitant domestic reform between 1978 and 1984 to provide the “resolution of the conflict in the times in which we now live” that demanded “inter-dependent and co-ordinated action in all fields. It is therefore essential that a total national strategy” is “formulated at the highest level.”
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Total National Strategy (TNS): Reorganization of Government and the Military
- The Contradictory Role of Militarization
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay analyzes the effectiveness of South Africa's "Total National Strategy" (TNS) in countering the perceived threat of the "Total Onslaught" during the apartheid era (1978-1984). It examines the strategy's successes and failures in achieving its objectives.
- The reorganization of the South African government under P.W. Botha and the role of the military in TNS.
- The inherent contradictions within TNS between reform and coercion.
- The impact of militarization on the effectiveness of TNS.
- The response of various racial groups and the international community to the reforms implemented under TNS.
- The ultimate failure of TNS to address the root causes of black grievances against apartheid.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This essay examines the effectiveness of South Africa's Total National Strategy (TNS) in combating the "Total Onslaught," a perceived threat from neighboring states and the USSR aimed at overthrowing apartheid. The essay explores the contradictory dilemmas faced by the South African government in maintaining apartheid while addressing urban unrest and the loss of its buffer zone. It highlights the key factors influencing TNS's effectiveness, including government reorganization, the military's role, regional foreign policy, and international intervention.
Total National Strategy (TNS): Reorganization of Government and the Military: This section analyzes the restructuring of the South African government under TNS. It discusses the rise of technocrats and security officials within the government, and the creation of the National Security Management System (NSMS) and the State Security Council (SSC). The essay argues that this reorganization reinforced a top-down approach, strengthening the executive branch and the securocrats, ultimately perpetuating white supremacy at all levels of government. The NSMS's aim, according to Selfe, was the preservation of white supremacy, not the resolution of black grievances. The chapter emphasizes how the system created a structure of patronage based on maintaining white power, ultimately failing to address the underlying issues fueling black nationalist movements.
The Contradictory Role of Militarization: This section delves into the contradictory role of militarization within TNS. While some argue that TNS was a combination of political and military responses, the essay highlights the significant impact of the military's strength within the SSC. The overlap between military and political spheres, particularly the "Win Hearts and Minds" campaign alongside military brutality, created a conflict between reform and coercion. The essay contrasts Davies and O'Meara's argument with Nolutshungu's, favoring the latter's assertion that TNS became increasingly reliant on coercion over political means. Examples such as the actions of the SADF and the "Third Force" murders highlight the illegal and brutal actions of the military, demonstrating the failure of TNS to achieve its stated goals while illustrating the inherent contradictions of the strategy itself. The increased militarization, as exemplified by the SADF's involvement in combating unrest and their covert operations, further solidified the strategy's failure to address the root causes of conflict and instability.
Keywords
Apartheid, Total National Strategy (TNS), Total Onslaught, South Africa, P.W. Botha, militarization, reform, coercion, white supremacy, black resistance, National Security Management System (NSMS), State Security Council (SSC), South African Defence Force (SADF), Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of South Africa's Total National Strategy (TNS)
What is the main focus of this essay?
This essay analyzes the effectiveness of South Africa's "Total National Strategy" (TNS) in countering the perceived threat of the "Total Onslaught" during the apartheid era (1978-1984). It examines the strategy's successes and failures in achieving its objectives, focusing on the interplay between government reorganization, militarization, and the inherent contradictions within the strategy itself.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
Key themes include the reorganization of the South African government under P.W. Botha and the military's role in TNS; the contradictions between reform and coercion within TNS; the impact of militarization on TNS's effectiveness; the responses of various racial groups and the international community; and the ultimate failure of TNS to address the root causes of black grievances against apartheid.
What were the objectives of South Africa's Total National Strategy (TNS)?
The TNS aimed to counter the perceived "Total Onslaught," a threat from neighboring states and the USSR aimed at overthrowing apartheid. It involved a restructuring of the government and military to maintain white supremacy and quell internal dissent.
How did the South African government reorganize under TNS?
The reorganization saw the rise of technocrats and security officials, the creation of the National Security Management System (NSMS), and the State Security Council (SSC). This strengthened the executive branch and reinforced a top-down approach, ultimately perpetuating white supremacy.
What role did militarization play in TNS?
Militarization played a significant and contradictory role. While some aspects aimed at "winning hearts and minds," the military's power within the SSC and its brutal actions (including those of the "Third Force") led to increased reliance on coercion over political means. This highlighted the inherent conflict between reform and repression within TNS.
What were the consequences of TNS's approach?
TNS ultimately failed to address the root causes of black grievances. Its reliance on coercion, the contradictions between reform and repression, and the prioritization of white supremacy led to its failure to achieve its stated goals and exacerbated conflict and instability.
What are some key organizations mentioned in the analysis of TNS?
Key organizations include the National Security Management System (NSMS), the State Security Council (SSC), and the South African Defence Force (SADF).
What is the overall conclusion of the essay regarding the effectiveness of TNS?
The essay concludes that TNS was largely ineffective in achieving its objectives. Its inherent contradictions, its reliance on coercion, and its failure to address underlying issues of racial injustice ultimately contributed to its failure.
What are some key keywords associated with this analysis?
Key words include Apartheid, Total National Strategy (TNS), Total Onslaught, South Africa, P.W. Botha, militarization, reform, coercion, white supremacy, black resistance, National Security Management System (NSMS), State Security Council (SSC), South African Defence Force (SADF), and Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
- Arbeit zitieren
- Murray Baird (Autor:in), 2008, How effective was the policy of ‘Total National Strategy’ in combating the perceived threat from the ‘Total Onslaught’?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/203306
