Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) is a person.

• Context:
  • It can range from being a Tribal Prince to being a Global Peace Icon, depending on the historical period.
  • It can range from being a Liberation Fighter to being a National Reconciler, based on political context.
  • ...
  • They can be known for Nelson Mandela Publications, such as: "Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela".
  • They can be known for Nelson Mandela Quotes, such as:
    • "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." which highlights Mandela's belief in the transformative power of education for societal change.
    • "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." which reflects his understanding that true bravery involves overcoming fear, not the absence of it.
    • "It always seems impossible until it’s done." which captures the spirit of perseverance that characterized his fight against apartheid.
    • "Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people." which underscores Mandela's view on the responsibilities and sacrifices of true leadership.
    • "Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies." which emphasizes his commitment to forgiveness as a path to personal and national healing.
    • "There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." which encourages striving for one’s full potential, a principle Mandela lived by.
    • "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead." which reflects his view on the importance of contributing positively to society.
    • "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." which captures Mandela's broader vision of freedom as intertwined with the well-being of others.
    • "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." which emphasizes resilience and the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges.
    • "Lead from the back—and let others believe they are in front." which illustrates Mandela's approach to leadership, focusing on empowering others while guiding from behind.
  • …
• Example(s):
  • Mandela, 1920s, his childhood years in the rural village of Mvezo and his early influences.
  • Mandela, 1930s, during his early education and the development of his political consciousness.
  • Mandela, 1940s, when he became involved in anti-colonial politics and co-founded the ANC Youth League.
  • Mandela, 1950s, during which he led the Defiance Campaign and was tried in the Treason Trial.
  • Mandela, 1960s, the decade when he co-founded Umkhonto we Sizwe and was imprisoned after the Rivonia Trial.
  • Mandela, 1970s, a period marked by his continued imprisonment in Robben Island (for 27 years) and growing international pressure for his release.
  • Mandela, 1980s, when global campaigns for his release intensified, leading to his eventual release in 1990.
  • Mandela, 1990s, during which he transformed from a Liberation Soldier into a Diplomat and national healer, culminating in his election as South Africa's first black president.
  • Mandela, 2000s, focusing on his retirement years and philanthropic efforts, particularly in combating HIV/AIDS.
  • Mandela, 2010s, remembering his legacy after his passing in 2013 and his enduring impact on global peace and reconciliation.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Steve Bantu Biko (1946-1977).
  • Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
• See: Apartheid, Nation Founder, Robben Island, Internal Resistance to Apartheid, Black Consciousness Movement.

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References

2024-12-04

• Perplexity.ai
  • Question: Please explain Nelson Mandela's impact as a South African leader, including his anti-apartheid activism, presidency, and lasting legacy.
  • Answer: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a transformative South African leader who became the nation's first black president and a global symbol of democracy and social justice. Born on July 18, 1918, he dedicated his life to dismantling apartheid and fostering racial reconciliation in South Africa.
    • Early Life and Activism:
      • As a young lawyer in the 1940s, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) and became increasingly involved in anti-apartheid activism.
      • In 1952, he established South Africa's first Black law practice with Oliver Tambo, specializing in cases related to apartheid legislation.
      • That same year, he led the Defiance Campaign against apartheid's discriminatory laws, particularly the pass laws that restricted non-white movement.
    • Imprisonment and Release:
      • After going underground in 1961 and establishing the ANC's military wing, Umkhonto Sizwe, Mandela was arrested in 1962.
      • He spent 27 years in prison, primarily on Robben Island, until his release on February 11, 1990.
      • His imprisonment became a powerful symbol of the struggle against apartheid.
    • Presidency and Legacy:
      • Following his release, Mandela led negotiations to end apartheid, resulting in South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994.
      • As president (1994-1999), he:
        • Established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address human rights abuses.
        • Launched the Reconstruction and Development Programme to address socio-economic issues.
        • Created the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in 1995.
        • Implemented one of the world's most progressive constitutions in 1996.
    • Later Years:
      • After retiring from the presidency in 1999, Mandela focused on humanitarian causes through the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
      • He continued advocating for peace, equality, and AIDS awareness until his death on December 5, 2013.
      • He received over 250 honors, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, and is revered in South Africa as "Madiba" and the "Father of the Nation."
  • Citations:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandela
[2] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nelson-Mandela
[3] https://www.nelsonmandela.org/timeline-2
[4] https://www.vukuzenzele.gov.za/nelson-mandela-timeline-achievements
[5] https://humanrights.ca/story/story-nelson-mandela
[6] https://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/nelson-mandela-timeline-100746

2016

• (Wikipedia, 2016) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela Retrieved:2016-7-22.
  • Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black chief executive, and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Politically an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.

    A Xhosa born to the Thembu royal family, Mandela attended the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Witwatersrand, where he studied law. Living in Johannesburg, he became involved in anti-colonial politics, joining the ANC and becoming a founding member of its Youth League. After the Afrikaner minority government of the National Party established apartheid – a system of racial segregation that privileged whites – in 1948 he rose to prominence in the ANC's 1952 anti-apartheid Defiance Campaign, was appointed President of the organisation's Transvaal branch, and co-organised the 1955 Congress of the People. Working as a lawyer, he was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and, with the ANC leadership, was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961. Influenced by Marxism, he secretly joined the South African Communist Party (SACP). Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961, leading a sabotage campaign against the government. In 1962, he was arrested, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial.

    Mandela served 27 years in prison, initially on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. Amid international pressure and growing fear of a racial civil war, President F. W. de Klerk released him in 1990. Mandela and de Klerk negotiated an end to apartheid and organised the 1994 multiracial elections, in which Mandela led the ANC to victory and became president. Leading a broad coalition government, which promulgated a new constitution, Mandela emphasised reconciliation between the country's racial groups and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses. While continuing with the former government's economic liberalism, his administration introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, and expand healthcare services. Internationally, he acted as mediator in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial and served as Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998–99. Declining a second presidential term, he was succeeded by his deputy, Thabo Mbeki. Mandela became an elder statesman, focusing on charitable work in combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

    Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life. Critics on the right denounced him as a communist terrorist, while those on the radical left deemed him too eager to negotiate and reconcile with apartheid's supporters. Conversely, he gained international acclaim for his activism, having received more than 250 honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Lenin Peace Prize. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata ("Father"), and described as the “Father of the Nation”.

1994

• (Mandela, 1994) => Nelson Mandela. "Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela". Hachette UK, 2008.

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