egb_hibs
Private Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2002
South Africa, in my youth was one of those seemingly crystal clear moral issues.
And apartheid still was and is. But as ever, the overall picture somewhat more complicated than the pop stars told us.
I found this podcast fascinating as a potted history of the ruin of post Mandela South Africa as archaic socialism, state racism, tribalism and epic corruption have brought Africa's most advanced economy to the brink.
According to the guy in it, in addition to the heady delights of chinese colonialism and russian trained bams, Iran is now in the mix, funding the ANC, buying its actions against Israel, militantising its Muslim population.
A sorry story all round and something campaigners for the end of apartheid must have known would be their likely reward. Which makes their own stance braver in a way I guess - those who didnt already have nothing left to lose anyway - and also possibly explains why some resisted, rather than, or in addition to, simple parables about racism.
Whether this guy is right on everything who knows, and he clearly has a point of view, but its fascinating stuff. He also talks a little about Africa more generally- china's belt and road, islamisation etc (Burkina Faso is apparently on course to go from 80/20 Christian / Muslim to the reverse in a generation- if true a stunning example of demographic tipping points)
And apartheid still was and is. But as ever, the overall picture somewhat more complicated than the pop stars told us.
I found this podcast fascinating as a potted history of the ruin of post Mandela South Africa as archaic socialism, state racism, tribalism and epic corruption have brought Africa's most advanced economy to the brink.
According to the guy in it, in addition to the heady delights of chinese colonialism and russian trained bams, Iran is now in the mix, funding the ANC, buying its actions against Israel, militantising its Muslim population.
A sorry story all round and something campaigners for the end of apartheid must have known would be their likely reward. Which makes their own stance braver in a way I guess - those who didnt already have nothing left to lose anyway - and also possibly explains why some resisted, rather than, or in addition to, simple parables about racism.
Whether this guy is right on everything who knows, and he clearly has a point of view, but its fascinating stuff. He also talks a little about Africa more generally- china's belt and road, islamisation etc (Burkina Faso is apparently on course to go from 80/20 Christian / Muslim to the reverse in a generation- if true a stunning example of demographic tipping points)