South Africa's Slow, Inevitable March Towards Collapse

Wendover Productions ^

[Eleutheria5]

For a moment, there was so much hope. 0:04 Apartheid was over. 0:05 South Africa had, for decades, essentially operated as two different nations superimposed 0:10 on the same landscape. 0:12 There was the white nation—wealthy and westernized—boasting a similar, if not higher standard of living 0:18 to that of Europe due to its similarly strong and diversified economy. 0:22 Then there was the black nation—impoverished and excluded from that wealthier white nation 0:27 by a legally enshrined system of segregation. 0:30 It felt like Europeans had just built an insular outpost in Africa—that’s to say, it felt 0:36 like what it was. 0:37 But finally, following decades of internal struggle and mounting international pressure 0:42 that reached a climax with the waning need for an African anti-Soviet ally, the nation’s 0:47 new president announced the release of apartheid-era political prisoners. 0:51 Most of these prisoners were members of the African National Congress—the strongest 0:55 anti-apartheid force—including the famed and beloved Nelson Mandela. 1:01 As time marched forward, Mandela negotiated with the existing government to ensure a peaceful 1:06 transition—something some thought impossible—as the structures of apartheid were stripped 1:10 away. 1:11 Then, in South Africa’s first truly democratic election, the most symbolic moment yet: Nelson 1:18 Mandela, the former prisoner, was elected President of South Africa.
 1:23 In the view of most, at that moment, South Africa was brimming with potential. 1:28 It had massive mineral wealth, it had a diversified economy, it had a large highly-educated workforce—as 1:34 the continent rose, the world hoped and believed that South Africa could be the poster-child 1:39 of the potential of African economic and human development. 1:43 If the white and black nations could truly integrate into one, the country was well on

.....

[nopardons]

I’ll ask, but I’m not sure that they might know; though I have several people to contact. It might take a while......

[magooey]

Some of the counties nearby are trying to build themselves up. There are even some Boers moving from South Africa to the next door neighbor countries, buying land and doing their farming. Given their treatment in South Africa you can hardly blame them. Also there has been a significant increase in the middle class among the locals over the past 20 years.

[Eleutheria5]

More books by Churchill to be on the lookout for! Gr8! I love books by or about Churchill, and his son and grandson after him collaborated on a few titles that I have.

I’ve got Winston S. Churchill, Youth and also Young Statesman, by Randolph Churchill, with all sorts of photos and documents.
The published notes of his physician Lord Moran.
Winston Churchill by Virginia Cowles.
and lastly, The Six Day War by Randolph S. and Winston S. Churchill (grandson).
I’d love to get my hands on more, but funds are limited. Just moved to Haifa at great expense.

One of the great things about life in Israel is that there are dumpsters set aside for discarded books, and if you dive into them, you can find some treasures. That’s where I got all of those, and many more tomes, Talmudic, Biblical, mystical, secular and just plain oddball. But I always keep my eyes out for books in Yiddish (love the language), or on Churchill. Those are my top two.

[nopardons]

I too am a HUGE Winston Churchill fan and have been one for many decades. The following are some more books which you may be interested in, that I have read.

This is WHY I love sharing book lists...we all may find books we then want to read! :-)

1)Marlborough: His Life and Times, by Winston Churchill

2)My Early Life, by Winston Churchill

3)Speaking For Themselves: The Personal Letters of Winston and Clementine Churchill, by Mary Soames

4)A Daughter's Tale: The Memoir of Winston and Clementine Churchill's Youngest Child, by Mary Soames

Have you read and or seen the movie made from Darkest Hour, by Anthony McCarten? I read the book loooooooooooooooong before the movie was made.

I have several other books that you also might like, but I think I may have overloaded you, already, by yesterday's and today's lists. And thus far, we have both read several several of the same books, that you have have listed, so I left them out of my lists.

If you care to, we can do lists to each other, in FRmail, about books on other topics, which we both might be interested in.

[Eleutheria5]

Of course I’ve seen Darkest Hour, which was a very endearing portrait of the man, but he was never a bombastic speaker that I’ve heard, and I doubt that would have gone over well in the House of Commons. The football cheers would have been out of place. His “defend our island regardless of the costs” speech was delivered in a deadpan calm voice, which made it more powerful. I’ve heard the original.

By all means, do let’s continue to exchange books. Especially about and by Churchill. I have an Australian friend who has several of his multi-volumed histories, but he would never part with them.

[dfwgator]

The football cheers would have been out of place. His “defend our island regardless of the costs” speech was delivered in a deadpan calm voice, which made it more powerful. I’ve heard the original.

I thought the version that people heard of that speech was re-recorded by Churchill years later (frankly he sounded sloshed on it), because they didn't record the Parliament speeches.

[Eleutheria5]

Might be. It would have had to have been done either while he was still in power before being voted out in 1944, and before he got paralyzed after his reelection in 1953. It would make sense that it was re-recorded for either the 1944 election season, or the 1953, sort of as a campaign ad before such things existed. Even at the time he made the actual speech, he might have been sloshed. He drank while he worked, and worked while he drank. He must have been sober when he painted.

[nopardons]

I read the book, which is better than the movie, long before they made the movie. And yes, the movie stretches that speech somewhat.

The House of Commons has ALWAYS been somewhat ROWDY; just not quite that rowdy!

Oh good...I'm always happy to have a new "book buddy", with whom to exchange titles with and talk about books that we have both read!

Have you read books about Winston's mother, Jennie Jerome Churchill? She was a fascinating woman and an extremely intelligent one to boot.

Winston's son Randolph married an English woman ( who later on became quite famous, or infamous, depending on your political views ) whose bio is sort of interesting. Pamela later on went on to marry Avril Harriman, who was a governor of N.Y. State, a diplomat, and an ambassador.

Randolph and Pamela had a son, whom they named Winston.

Yes, I have read her bio/have that book and IF you want the title, just ask and I'll send it to you along with titles for Jennie Churchill.

[Jim Noble]

“ South Africa was brimming with potential. It had massive mineral wealth, it had a diversified economy, it had a large highly-educated workforce—as the continent rose, the world hoped and believed that South Africa could be the poster-child of the potential of African economic and human development. If the white and black nations could truly integrate into one…”

What nonsense.

If if if. If your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle.

[Eleutheria5]

Please tell me that Jomo Kenyatta’s Kenya is that poster child. He gave such a great speech fifty-some-odd years ago.

[Jim Noble]

Port-au-Prince is the end state. Johannesburg, Nairobi, Camden, Memphis, Selma, are all getting there, just at different rates.