The Pettiness of Apartheid
Apartheid can be viewed as having existed on two different levels. On the one hand, you had ‘grand apartheid’. This comprised of civil and political rights such as the right to vote. On the other hand you had ‘petty apartheid’. This was your more day-to-day manifestations of apartheid. Of course petty apartheid was only enabled through the loss of rights due to grand apartheid, but I wonder had petty apartheid not existed as it did, whether there would have been as much opposition to the system throughout its existence. Petty apartheid was indeed petty. It led to multiple humiliations upon the non-White population of South Africa. It was a constant reminder of inferior status in their own country. There are two examples of petty apartheid that have really stuck out to me from all my reading over the years. I have read a lot about the justice system in South Africa and the punishments and cruel treatment and even summary killings. These are horrific things to read, but on