CNN Article
I’m sure that by now most of you have heard about Nelson Mandela’s death. Mandela died peacefully today at the age of 95 after a long battle with illness. Mandela certainly left a legacy behind - he helped reunite South Africa after decades of apartheid, which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for in 1993. Mandela was also the first president of South Africa elected in an open election.
As Obama aptly stated, “"We've lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth." Similar to Mandela, Obama is also the first black leader of his country. "He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages," said Obama.
Obviously, Mandela hasn’t been in power in South Africa for a while given his old age and his mental state that was gradually deteriorating, but what effect, if any, do you think his death will have on the South African government? Many have speculated that Mandela was a uniting force in South Africa - do you think old tensions will be exposed now that Mandela has passed away? How might Mandela’s death change how other nations interact with South Africa? Oftentimes, prominent, influential leaders, like Mandela are the ones that bond two nations together. Do think the death of Mandela will result in the severing of some ties?
How do you think South Africa will fare in the years to come? What do you think was Mandela’s greatest contribution to South Africa, or the world as a whole?
Chicago Tribune article
Timeline of Mandela's life
Washington post opinion piece celebrating Mandela
6 comments:
Like Jackie mentioned, Mandela has not been in power for a long time, so I do not think that his death will break any part of the government that he helped create. I think if anything, South Africans will want to honor his memory and carry on his legacy in South Africa by promoting the ideals that he valued the most for the country. I also think that Mandela not only had an influence in South Africa, but also throughout the entire world, so I think that people will continue to remember him and cherish and learn from his values of equality and his bravery and devotion for his cause.
Like Jackie and Paige have said, I dont think that Mandela's death will have a negative impact on the government. I think that while he hasnt been in office for a long time, he became an icon and a figurehead that people could rally behind. Like Paige said, I think that South Africa would try to continue on what Mandela wanted. He had such a positive influence that I feel that the right thing to do is to keep promoting his beliefs.
I also believe that Mandela's death will not have a negative impact on the South African government. I do believe, however, that this will greatly affect the South African Public. They lost a hero, their version of Martin Luther King Jr. He left a legacy on the world that will be taught in schools for the rest of time. He ranks in the top ten if not top 5 most influential people of all time. His bravery influenced South Africa to end the Apartheid that affected South Africa for decades. The country still has a lot of work to do, but for now they can mourn the death of their national hero. May he Rest in Peace.
I agree that there will not be an immediate change in the South African government because he hasn't been in power for so long. However, I believe that it was significant that until now, Mandela was a living icon. After years from today, I think the support for Mandela's belief will gradually decrease. Therefore, I think there will be a long term effect with his death. Similarly, in regards to the foreign relations of South Africa, I don't think there will be an immediately apparent effect, but we will see some differences in the years to come. Unless someone like Mandela takes control of the country, I question if South Africa will maintain the positive relationships it has.
I believe that the government will change in fact. Although he hasn't been in power technically, like the Queen of England, he is a figurehead with a very real influence on government policy.
there will be an election coming up soon, and I feel like candidates' campaigns will be affected by Mandela's death. Their platforms will definitely change to implement several Mandela-esque things.
The whole country is in mourning, and I hope they celebrate his life rather than mourning
In announcing Mandela's death, South Africa's current president, Jacob Zuma, said, "Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost its father." I think that this sums up the current sentiment pretty well. South Africa is mourning the loss of a huge influential leader. I think Rick makes a great point in the long term effects of Mandela's death. Currently, I don't think there will be a large impact. However, many leaders were not large supporters of Mandela's liberal, socialist ideas and Jacob Zuma is not the most well-liked leader out there. I agree that if South Africa cannot find another great leader to carry on Mandela's work, we will see significant changes.
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