Goals of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

One of the main ideas of Nelson Mandela was the ending of apartheid, which was a South African racial segregation that kept black residents from being able to have the same rights as white residents (Sampson, 2011). This was very similar to the slavery that was seen in the United States in the past, and Mandela wanted to see it stopped. His major idea was that people should be equal, and that the color of a person's skin should not have an effect on the rights that person had. This has, of course, been said by others in the past, and is not an idea that is unique to Mandela. However, Mandela took the idea very far in an effort to make sure apartheid ended. He was successful in making that happen. This is not the same thing as stopping racism, which can be in the hearts and minds of people no matter how they act on the outside and what kinds of laws prevent them from acting on their feelings and beliefs.

It is not possible to stop racism, because that is a personal issue that has to be addressed individually, and not something that can actually be controlled by law. However, there can be laws made against deliberate equality, which is what Mandela sought to address. During his lifetime he did a lot of different things, including working as South Africa's president, but the single thing most people will remember him for will be the end of apartheid (Sampson, 2011). The beginning of apartheid was actually when the country was still under Dutch rule, and millions of non-white South Africans had to leave their homes (Ellis, 2011). Everything was segregated, and black South Africans even lost their citizenship (Ellis, 2011). That was unfortunate, and when Mandela started to gain political power he determined that he had the potential to do something about the atrocities he saw in his country (Sampson, 2011). His work toward ending apartheid began, and he worked tirelessly in order to make sure everyone in the country could be free.

Mandela's goal of solving apartheid was not only correct -- because people should be treated equally -- but was also very effective. People rallied behind Mandela because he was such a charismatic leader, and that helped him move his goals and dreams for the South African people closer to reality (Louw, 2004). His devotion to the cause of ending apartheid was one that he carried with him for a long time, and one that will always be part of his legacy. After his death, many people reminisced fondly about all he had contributed to the culture and value of South Africa, and about how much he had given to the people. He was not without controversy, but there were many ways in which he improved the living conditions and treatment for a number of black South Africans (Sampson, 2011). Without Mandela's influence, it is possible that the apartheid that took place in South Africa would still be going on today (Louw, 2004). There was really nothing else and no one else trying actively to stop it.