“Africans require, want, the franchise on the basis of one man one vote. They want political independence.”
Image credits: John Mathew Smith 2001,”From Wash D.C. Longworth building October 4, 1994. Mandela’s first trip to the United States.”,CC BY-SA 2.0,Nelson Mandela 1994 – Nelson Mandela – Wikipedia
- July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013
- Born in South Africa
- Politician, lawyer
- The first black president of South Africa, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for abolishing apartheid and building a democratic South Africa where multiple ethnic groups coexist.
Quote
“Africans require, want, the franchise on the basis of one man one vote. They want political independence.”
Explanation
In this quote, Nelson Mandela emphasizes the fundamental political demand of Africans during the era of apartheid: the right to vote on an equal basis with all other citizens. By asserting the principle of one man, one vote, Mandela is highlighting the core of the anti-apartheid struggle—the fight for universal suffrage. Under apartheid, black South Africans were systematically denied the right to vote and were subjected to a discriminatory, racially-segregated political system. The franchise was restricted to white South Africans, while the majority of the population was marginalized in their ability to influence political decisions. Mandela’s call for political independence reflects the broader aspiration for not only equal rights but also self-determination for Africans.
Historically, Mandela’s advocacy for one person, one vote was central to the struggle for freedom and democracy in South Africa. The demand for the vote was not just about political participation but about dismantling the apartheid system that perpetuated racial oppression and economic inequality. The anti-apartheid movement, of which Mandela was a key leader, was built around the idea that true democracy could only exist when all citizens, regardless of their race, had equal political rights. Mandela himself spent 27 years in prison fighting for these rights, and upon his release in 1990, he led negotiations that eventually resulted in the 1994 democratic elections, where black South Africans finally gained the right to vote.
In the modern context, this quote is still relevant in discussions about voting rights and democracy worldwide. Across the globe, struggles for political independence and the right to vote continue to unfold, particularly in regions where political power is concentrated in the hands of a few and where marginalized groups are denied their right to political participation. Mandela’s words remind us that universal suffrage is a fundamental pillar of democratic governance and that political freedom is not only about the ability to vote but also about having a voice in shaping the political future of one’s country.
