Liberalism in South Africa has encompassed various traditions and parties. The moderate

South African Party nl, Zuidafrikaanse Partij , leader1_title = Leader (s) , leader1_name = Louis Botha,Jan Smuts, Barry Hertzog , foundation = , dissolution = , merger = Het VolkSouth African PartyAfrikaner BondOrangia Unie , merged ...

and its successor, the United Party, formed government several times between the formation of the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

and the election of the National Party in 1948. In 1959, members of the United Party formed the

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Italy ...

, a precursor to the present-day Democratic Alliance. Separately, in 1953, the anti-Apartheid and multi-racial

Liberal Party of South Africa The Liberal Party of South Africa was a South African political party from 1953 to 1968. Founding The party was founded on 9 May 1953 at a meeting of the South African Liberal Association in Cape Town. Essentially it grew out of a belief that ...

was formed, before disbanding in 1968. Various South Africans have contributed prominently to liberalism in the country.

History

Timeline

Progressive Party to Unionist Party

*1890: The

was formed. *1910: PP merged with the Constitutional Party from the

Orange River Colony The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after Britain first occupied (1900) and then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War. The colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Unio ...

and the Progressives from the

South African Republic The South African Republic ( nl, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, abbreviated ZAR; af, Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek), also known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer Republic in Southern Africa which existed from 1852 to 1902, when it ...

to form the Unionist Party. *1920: The Unionist Party merged into the ⇒ South African Party.

South African Party

* 1911: The

was formed of various pre-Union parties. Led by the moderate

Louis Botha Louis Botha (; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa – the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war hero during the Second Boer War, ...

, 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 The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, combining

Jan Smuts Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts, (24 May 1870 11 September 1950) was a South African statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various military and cabinet posts, he served as prime minister of the Union of South Af ...

' South African Party and most of Barry Hertzog's National Party. * 1939: Hertzog left the party and a split formed following South Africa's entry into the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The party increasingly resembled the former South African Party. * 1948: The United Party, led by Jan Smuts, lost in the 1948 election to the

Reunited National Party The Herenigde Nasionale Party (Reunited National Party) was a political party in South Africa during the 1940s. It was the product of the reunion of Daniel François Malan's Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party (Purified National Party) and J.B.M. Hertzo ...

. The United Party based its platform on the recommendations of the

Fagan Commission The Native Laws Commission, commonly known as the Fagan Commission, was appointed by the South African Government in 1946 to investigate changes to the system of segregation. Its members were: Henry Allan Fagan, A. S. Welsh, A. L. Barrett, E. E. v ...

, which determined total segregation to be impossible, and advocated a relaxation of restrictions on black African migration into urban areas. The Reunited National Party, conversely, had campaigned on total racial separation. * 1973:

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

broke away from the National Party. * 1977: DP and UP formed the New Republic Party. * 1987: NRP dissolved, many of their members went to the Independent Party. * 1988: IP and NRP merged into the ⇒ Democratic Party.

Liberal Party of South Africa

*1953: The

was formed by

Alan Paton Alan Stewart Paton (11 January 1903 – 12 April 1988) was a South African writer and anti-apartheid activist. His works include the novels ''Cry, the Beloved Country'' and '' Too Late the Phalarope''. Family Paton was born in Pietermaritzbu ...

*1968: The SALP decided to disband rather than obey legislation outlawing multiracial political parties. The decision was also influenced by the fact that the leadership of the SALP had been decimated by banning orders and other restrictive measures, and by the fact that many stalwarts had been forced into exile.

Progressive Party to Democratic Alliance

*1959: Liberal members of the United Party seceded and formed the liberal

. The parliamentary party is led by

Helen Suzman Helen Suzman, OMSG, DBE (née Gavronsky; 7 November 1917 – 1 January 2009) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. She represented a series of liberal and centre-left opposition parties during her 36-year tenure in th ...

*1975: The party merged with the Reform Party led by

Harry Schwarz Harry Heinz Schwarz (13 May 1924 – 5 February 2010) was a South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid in South Africa, who eventually served as the South African Ambassador to the United States ...

, a faction of the United Party, and became the Progressive Reform Party *1977: After the dissolution of the United Party, former members merged into the PRP, which is renamed the

Progressive Federal Party The Progressive Federal Party (PFP) ( af, Progressiewe Federale Party) was a South African political party formed in 1977 through merger of the Progressive and Reform parties, eventually changing its name to the Progressive Federal Party. For it ...

*1987: National Party MP

Wynand Malan Wynand Malan (born 25 May 1943) is a liberal Afrikaner South African politician. A lawyer, Malan entered politics in the 1977 South African election when he was elected to the South Africa's all white parliament as the National Party MP for ...

quit the governing party to protest

PW Botha Pieter Willem Botha, (; 12 January 1916 – 31 October 2006), commonly known as P. W. and af, Die Groot Krokodil (The Big Crocodile), was a South African politician. He served as the last prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 an ...

's policies. South African Ambassador to the UK

Denis Worrall Denis John Worrall (born 29 May 1935 in Benoni, Transvaal, Union of South Africa)Who's Who in Southern Africa ...

quit his post in order to return to South Africa and fight apartheid. The two formed and led the liberal Independent Party. *1988: The PFP merged with the newly founded National Democratic Movement and the Independent Party into the

*2000: The DP merged with the conservative New National Party into an alliance, the Democratic Alliance. *2001: The NNP left the alliance and the DP continues as the present-day Democratic Alliance

Mahlabatini Declaration

On 4 January 1974,

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal. * South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...

United Party leader

met with

Mangosuthu Buthelezi Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (born 27 August 1928) is a South African politician and Zulu traditional leader who is currently a Member of Parliament and the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family. He was Chief Minister of the ...

and signed a five-point plan for racial peace in South Africa, which came to be known as the

Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith The Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith was a statement of core principles laid down by South African political leaders Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Harry Schwarz on 4 January 1974. It was signed in Mahlabatini, KwaZulu-Natal, hence its name. Its purpose ...

. Its purpose was to provide a blueprint for the government of South Africa by consent and racial peace in a multi-racial society, stressing opportunity for all, consultation, the federal concept, and a

bill of rights A bill of rights, sometimes called a declaration of rights or a charter of rights, is a list of the most important rights to the citizens of a country. The purpose is to protect those rights against infringement from public officials and pri ...

. It also affirmed that political change must take place though non-violent means, at a time when neither the National Party nor the African National Congress were looking to peaceful solutions or dialogue. The declaration enshrined the principles of

peaceful transition of power A peaceful transition or transfer of power is a concept important to democratic governments in which the leadership of a government peacefully hands over control of government to a newly-elected leadership. This may be after elections or during t ...

and equality for all, the first of such agreements by acknowledged black and white political leaders in South Africa and was heralded by many as a breakthrough in race relations in South Africa. Liberal figures and others such as

praised the declaration. The declaration drew much media interest both inside and outside South Africa. Schwarz, leader of the liberal 'Young Turks' in the UP, would be expelled with other liberals from the party the following year.

Prominent individuals

Politics

*South African Party:

, Jan Hofmeyr. Botha and Smuts were the first and second prime ministers of South Africa respectively *United Party:

, Jan Smuts *Liberal Party of South Africa:

*Progressive Party:

Jan Steytler Johannes "Jan" van Aswegen Steytler (October 26, 1910 – after 1977) was a liberal South African politician and the first leader of the Progressive Party (PP). He was born in Burgersdorp, in the then Cape Province now Eastern Cape Province. Ba ...

Colin Eglin Colin Wells Eglin (14 April 1925 – 29 November 2013) was a South African politician best known for having served as national leader of the opposition from 1977–79 and 1986–87. He represented Sea Point in the South African Parliament from 19 ...

Bernard Friedman Bernard Friedman (1896 – 1984) was a South African surgeon, politician, author, and businessman who co-founded the anti-apartheid Progressive Party. Biography Education, Medical Training and Role in WW2 He was educated at Pretoria Boys H ...

*Reform Party:

*Progressive Reform and Progressive Federal Party:

Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (2 March 1940 – 14 May 2010) was a South African political analyst, businessman and politician. He is best known for having been the leader of the official opposition – the Progressive Federal Party (PFP) – i ...

Zach de Beer Zacharias Johannes "Zach" de Beer (born Cape Town, South Africa, 11 October 1928 – 27 May 1999) was a liberal Afrikaner South African politician and businessman. He was the last leader of the liberal Progressive Federal Party and then the co-l ...

*Independent Party:

Denis Worrall Denis John Worrall (born 29 May 1935 in Benoni, Transvaal, Union of South Africa)Who's Who in Southern Africa ...

*Democratic Party:

Denis Worrall Denis John Worrall (born 29 May 1935 in Benoni, Transvaal, Union of South Africa)Who's Who in Southern Africa ...

Tony Leon Anthony James Leon (born 15 December 1956) is a South African politician who served as leader of the opposition from 1999-2007 as leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA). He led the DA from its inception in 2000, until his retirement from lead ...

, Sipho Moganedi (first black Democratic Party Youth national president, 1995 to 1998) *Democratic Alliance:

Helen Zille Otta Helene Maree (''née'' Zille ; born 9 March 1951), known as Helen Zille, is a South African politician. She has served as the Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance since 20 October 2019. From 2009 until 2019, she w ...

Academia

Donald Barkly Molteno Donald Barkly Molteno (13 February 1908–1972), known as ''Dilizintaba'' ("He who removes mountains"), was a South African parliamentarian, constitutional lawyer, champion of civil rights and a prominent opponent of Apartheid. Early life an ...

(1908–1972) *

Edgar Brookes Professor Edgar Harry Brookes (4 February 1897–22 April 1979) was a South African Liberal senator and South African representative to the League of Nations. Biography Brookes was born in Smethwick, England in 1897. He attended Maritzburg ...

(1897–1979)

Media and literature

*Author

(1903–1988) *

Laurence Gandar Laurence Owen Vine Gandar (28 January 1915 – 15 November 1998) was a South African journalist and newspaper editor. He is best known as an editor of South African newspaper ''The Rand Daily Mail''. Early life Laurence Gandar was born on 28 ...

The Independent (UK)
/ref> (1915–1998), editor of the liberal daily the ''Rand Daily Mail'' in Johannesburg from 1957 to 1969 *

Barry Streek Barry Streek (30 August 1948 – 21 July 2006) was a South African political journalist and anti-apartheid activist. Early life and education Barry Streek was educated at Michaelhouse in Kwazulu-Natal after which he completed his national serv ...

Mail & Guardian
(1948–2006)

Religion

South African Council of Churches The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an interdenominational forum in South Africa. It was a prominent anti-apartheid organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé an ...

(SACC):

Beyers Naudé Christiaan Frederick Beyers Naudé (10 May 1915 – 7 September 2004) was a South African Afrikaner Calvinist Dominee, theologian and the leading Afrikaner anti-apartheid activist. He was known simply as Beyers Naudé, or more colloquially, ...

Liberal organisations

Helen Suzman Foundation The Helen Suzman Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think-tank in South Africa dedicated to promoting liberal democratic values and human rights in post-apartheid South Africa through its research, publications, litigation and submissions ...

Centre for Development and Enterprise The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is an independent public policy research and advocacy non-profit organisation established in 1995. It is one of South Africa’s leading development think tanks, focusing on critical national developm ...

South African Institute of Race Relations Established in 1929,http://www.sairr.org.za/profile/ the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) is a research and policy organisation in South Africa. The institute is "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country". The in ...

Black Sash The Black Sash is a South African human rights organisation. It was founded in Johannesburg in 1955 as a non-violent resistance organisation for liberal white women. Origins The Black Sash was founded on 19 May 1955 by six middle-class white ...

Free Market Foundation The Free Market Foundation (FMF) is a classical liberal think tank located in Bryanston, Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 1975, the FMF was established to further human rights and democracy through the principles of an open society, the rul ...

History

Timeline

Progressive Party to Unionist Party

South African Party

United Party

Liberal Party of South Africa

Progressive Party to Democratic Alliance

Mahlabatini Declaration

Prominent individuals

Politics

Academia

Media and literature

Religion

Liberal organisations

References

See also