Documentary: Apartheid Did Not Die

[mahnmut]

Watch Apartheid Did Not Die

Summary:

Apartheid based on race is outlawed now, but the system always went far deeper than that. The cruelty and injustice were underwritten by an economic apartheid, which regarded people as no more than cheap expendable labor. It was backed by great business corporations in South Africa, Britain, the rest of Europe, and the United States. And it was this apartheid based on money and profit to allow a small minority to control most of the land, most of the industrial wealth, and most of the economic power. Today, the same system is called – without a trace of irony – the free market.
John Pilger was banned from South Africa for his reporting during the apartheid era. On his return thirty years later with Alan Lowery, he describes the extraordinary generosity of a liberated people, but asks who are the true beneficiaries of a democracy – the black majority or the white minority? Won the Gold Award in the category of ‘Film & Video Production: Political/International Issues’, Worldfest-Flagstaff, 1998; Certificate for Creative Excellence (third place), U.S. International Film & Video Festival, Elmhurst, Illinois, 1999.

Comments

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Unnecessary dichotomy. I've said it before. What we need is equal trade between nations and economic justice inside nations (http://community.livejournal.com/talk_politics/172752.html).

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

So you're not a fan of the free market? ;-)

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's true at all. During slavery in the U.S. for instance, black people had no freedom and no income parity.

Now, they are much more free and much more income. Things aren't perfect, but both have definitely increased. I think that you can't *not* have more income parity with more freedom, in fact.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

This comment really depends on your definition of freedom. Not everybody thinks like an American.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

John Pilger is the better version of Michael Moore. Which isn't much of a compliment I guess.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

lol, I was just gonna say, comparing anyone to Michael Moore is complicated at best, but rarely seen as a compliment!

That said, I think the film topic sounds interesting, and will gladly watch it.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Not the best of compliments one could be hoping for, granted! :)

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I actually know people who believe that Michael Moore is practically a Messiah and everything he says is Gospel.......almost needless to say we avoid talking politics :D

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

He was on a programme here, Q and A, the other night (you can see it on ABC.net.au/iview if you can rig up a proxy to make it look like you're in Oz) and was a right royal douchebag; he made Gerard Henderson look good. This is akin to Michael Moore and Glen Beck being on a TV show and Glen Beck coming off as the sane, rational one. Sometimes he goes a bit too far for me.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately this is why defeating the political aspect of racism is not enough in itself. There is always the associated economic aspect, and economics is one of the hardest, if not *the* hardest aspects of society to change. This despite that economics, while not the end-all, be-all of society are pretty much one of the most all-encompassing aspects of it. And that's true regardless of the continents or cultures involved.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

It's the economy, stupid!

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Great quote, can I use it?

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

You'll have to ask Clinton. :)

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

He was paraphrasing Marx.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

Being as how I hate watching anything over 3 minutes on my computer........
Does this imply that blacks are still the down-trodden masses in SA?
I guess I'm really weird since I don't really care if a few own most, as long as I can do what I want, and have an opportunity to make of life what I want.....even granting that I have built in advantages being white and relatively intelligent. Of course it doesn't hurt that I am easily content.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

It's more complicated nowadays. The blacks are still under-privileged economically, and though it may seem that they hold the political power, it's again a tiny clique on the top which actually wields anything resembling power. The vast black masses are in the same predicament that they used to be before, if not worse.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

You also seem to have views that align fairly regularly with those few who own most, that's a big help.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

But I am absolutely with you on the simple life :)

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

I will have to think about that, as that is a pretty broad general statement and can be taken several ways....not to mention I'm not sure it's true, since a large portion of those who have most are way too liberal politically for me :P