Chapter of South African history was changed after the Second Anglo-Boer War, and the South African Federation with three capitals emerged.
The Boers and the British jointly governed South Africa, with the Boers becoming the dominant political force in this new regime.
However, Britain began to push the "African Land Corridor Plan," which aimed to monopolize overland and maritime trade between Asia, Africa, and Europe, starting from the Cape of Good Hope, through South Africa, East Africa, and North Africa, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and the Middle East.
After World War I, Britain successfully cleared obstacles in the African land corridor posed by Germany, realizing this strategic plan. However, it also marked the last glow of the British Empire's global expansion history.
With the end of World War II, Britain began to decline, transferring its power to the United States, completing a transformation since the Age of Discovery.
Meanwhile, South Africa became an actively involved country in African continental affairs, accumulating international reputation and political resources through its participation in World War I and World War II.
In 1961, South Africa decisively withdrew from the Commonwealth and established the Republic of South Africa.
South Africa, with a land area of 1.2191 million square kilometers, ranks 24th in the world.
Its population is also quite large, reaching about 17 million in 1961 and increasing to about 45 million by 1994.
According to the 2022 census data, South Africa's total population has reached 62 million, also ranking 24th in the world, becoming a populous country.
In terms of economic development, South Africa can be described as a shining star.
During the 40 years from 1932 to 1972, South Africa's GDP doubled every 7.4 years.
In the 1970s and 1980s, South Africa's GDP even accounted for 40% of the entire African continent, despite having only 6% of the population, occupying 60% of Africa's electricity, 90% of steel production, and 50% of railway transportation.
South African cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, etc., were on par with developed cities in Europe and America during the same period.
This prosperity stems from South Africa's development over more than 300 years (1652-1961), making it not only the richest country on the African continent but even approaching the level of Western developed countries, being hailed as the sixth strongest country in the world.
South Africa's industrial level is also remarkable.
South Africa has established four major industrial zones: Western Cape, Elizabeth Harbour-Port Elizabeth, Durban-Pietermaritzburg, and South Durban, covering mining equipment, port machinery, refining and chemical industry, consumer electronics, military industry, and other fields.
South Africa not only produces consumer goods such as home appliances and automobiles but also manufactures high-end military products and has significant achievements in fields such as electronic computers, medical care, and nuclear energy.
South Africa also ranks among the top in terms of medical care, having completed the world's first human heart transplant surgery.
In terms of nuclear energy, South Africa has been committed to research and has even independently developed six nuclear bombs.
To this day, South Africa remains the only country on the African continent with nuclear power plants.
South Africa's tremendous success can mainly be attributed to several factors: its land area and population base, geographical advantages, abundant mineral resources, the African land corridor opened by Britain, and the international reputation and political resources accumulated during the two world wars.
However, behind South Africa's success lies the shadow of apartheid, which is one of the key reasons for its success.
South Africa's apartheid system has allowed whites to control the vast majority of wealth and resources, while blacks have become cheap labor.
However, for the white rulers, this system is the cornerstone of their economic achievements.
However, apartheid policies have triggered various social conflicts and crises.
As the main ruling class in South Africa, the Boers have a unique logic of thinking about South Africa's economic, social, and apartheid policies in their unique historical background.
They believe that South Africa's prosperity is built on the hard work and management of the Boers, and that apartheid policies are necessary means to maintain stability in South Africa.
However, the Boers' mentality also brings some inherent contradictions.
In their eyes, South Africa is their land, the result of their labor and sweat.
They firmly believe that South Africa's development is based on their sacrifices and efforts, and their attitude towards blacks carries a certain conservative and exclusionary color.
The Boers believe that blacks are not the indigenous people of South Africa; most of them were brought in as slaves or as laborers looking for gold mines.
Therefore, the Boers believe that they have given blacks enough treatment, providing them with living space and job opportunities.
They consider it unreasonable for blacks to demand to share the rights of South Africa with them.
The Boers' mentality has played an important role in South Africa's history, shaping its political, social, and economic landscape.
However, as time passes and society changes, this mentality has gradually revealed some shortcomings.
Especially under the apartheid policy, the contradictions in South African society have intensified, leading to various turmoil and unstable factors.
Although the Boers' mentality reflects their history and cultural traditions to a certain extent, it also brings some limitations.
As a multicultural and multiethnic country, South Africa needs a more inclusive and open attitude to cope with increasingly complex social realities.
The Boers need to realize that the future of South Africa is closely related to all its residents, and only through unity and cooperation can South Africa achieve prosperity and stability together.
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