Importance of the Vereeniglng Treaty 1902

Importance of the Vereeniglng Treaty 1902

These were positive and negative.

Africans promised to participate in politics but were denied the right to vote.

It was ground for political Union by bringing all white states in the South African Union and the merger of railways.

The Vereeniging Treaty appeared victorious to the Boers in all its terms.

It brought an end to the South African war.

The Boer Republics gave up their independence and accepted to be subjects of the British.

It was basis for the growth of Apartheid or the separate development of races in South Africa.

The gold mines resumed large –gigantic operations.

The Transvaal and Orange Free State were made British colonies.

There was disarmament of Africans thereby increasing the insecurity.

There was confirmed loss of African independence as the Africans were ignored in the discussions.

Dutch and English were confirmed as official languages in South Africa.

The parties to the treaty agreed to the creation of concentration camps of Africans thereby restricting their freedom.

It laid a basis for the Apartheid policy that is a policy of separate existence.

The British abandoned their humanitarian policy towards the Africans.

By bringing the white communities together, a Union of South Africa was hatched.

It created peace in South Africa as the two warring parties came to a negotiating table.

The British or the Boers- who benefited more from the Peace Treaty of Vereeniging

Most scholars indicate that they were the Boers who benefited more from the treaty but this view may not be universal. The benefits should be judged from the terms or main Clauses of the treaty;

Africans were promised participation in the politics of South Africa but at the same time denied the right to vote. The Boers had for long cherished this.

Even if the Orange Free State and Transvaal were put under the British, the Boers were still promised internal self- government.

The defeated Boers were also allowed to retain some of their guns though the Africans were completely disarmed. Dutch as well as English languages were confirmed as the official languages of South Africa.

The treaty also agreed to the creation of concentration camps for Africans to the delight of the Boers.

Another term of the treaty approved a fee of 30 million Pounds to compensate the Boers by the British for want had been destroyed. This was a triumph or success of the Boers .

According to the treaty, the British were to abandon their humanitarian duty towards the Africans.

The treaty laid a foundation for the Union of South Africa.

The British colonized the Orange Free State and Transvaal Republics till 1908.

By disarming the Africans who had been a threat, the British also benefited.

The British also benefited because the treaty in the end crowned British victory over the Dutch in the second Anglo-Boer war.

It united the whites against the Africans.

Forced labour on the white man's enterprises confirmed Boer gain.

The Boers were to lay down their weapons and accept to be British subjects.

Confirmation of full citizenship only to the whites was granted.

The British won at the end of the Anglo- Boer war while the Boers who lost the war achieved a great deal in the peace treaty.

The treaty didn't restore Boer independence but it led to British influence in the Boer Republics.

The Boer Republics enjoyed a lot of freedom despite the fact that they were declared colonies of the British. Both the white communities -British and Boers, who lost in battle benefited from the peace treaty.

The Africans were to remain on lookers in the affairs of South Africa according to the treaty