Synopses & Reviews
Nineteenth-century Cape Town, the capital of the British Cape Colony, was conventionally regarded as a liberal oasis in an otherwise racist South Africa. Longstanding British influence was thought to mitigate the racism of the Dutch settlers and foster the development of a sophisticated and colour-blind English merchant class. Vivian Bickford-Smith skilfully interweaves political, economic and social analysis to show that the English merchant class, far from being liberal, were generally as racist as Afrikaner farmers. Theirs was, however, a peculiarly English discourse of race, mobilised around a 'Clean Party' obsessed with sanitation and the dangers posed by 'un-English' Capetonians in a period of rapid urbanisation brought about by the discovery of diamonds and gold in the interior. This original contribution to South African urban history draws on comparative material from other colonial port towns and on relevant studies of the Victorian city.
Review
"...[a] clear, well-organized, and well-written book that invites reflection and discussion. One has to admire Bickford-Smith for the challenging goal he set for himself with his complex and difficult approach....he makes a significant contribution to a most important subject." Journal of Interdisciplinary History"...[a] careful, nuanced analysis....an impressive piece of urban history that students of urbanization and race relations should read." The Historian"...essential reading for any researcher interested in urban segregation, especially the South African variety. It is thoroughly researched, very readable and his arguments have to be taken seriously.....[it] succeeds in tying up many of the threads left loose by earlier historians and...exposes "liberal" Cape Town of the late 19th century in a way never before seen." H-Net Book Review"The result is a pain-staking urban history which yields important insights into the roots of apartheid...A short review cannot begin to indicate the complexity of Bickford-Smith's careful, nuanced analysis...Bickford-Smith has produced an impressive piece of urban history that students of urbanization and race relations should read." The Historian"Bickford-Smith's book is essential reading for any researcher interested in Urban segregation, especially in South African variety. It is throroughly researched, very readable and his arguments have to be yaken seriously. As a first book on this subject, he succeeds in tying many of the threads left loose by earlier historians and he exposes 'liberal' Cape Town of the late nineteenth century in a way never before seen." Keith Tankard, H-Net Reviews
Synopsis
An original contribution to South African urban history, focusing on the English merchant class.
Synopsis
This book skilfully interweaves political, economic and social analysis to show that the English merchant class in Cape Town, far from being liberal, as widely believed, were generally as racist as Afrikaner farmers. Theirs was, however, a peculiarly English discourse of race, mobilised around a 'Clean Party' obsessed with sanitation and the dangers posed by 'un-English' Capetonians in a period of rapid urbanisation. This original contribution to South African urban history draws on comparative material from other colonial port towns and on relevant studies of the Victorian city.
Synopsis
Nineteenth-century Cape Town was conventionally regarded as a liberal oasis in an otherwise racist South Africa, largely because of the mitigating influences of its more liberal English merchants. Bickford-Smith disagrees: far from being liberal, the English generally shared the racial attitudes of their Afrikaner counterparts. But theirs was a peculiarly English discourse of race, mobilized around a "Clean Party" obsessed with sanitation and the threat of diseases posed by incoming non-white workers in the final years of the century. This original contribution to South African urban history draws on comparative material from other colonial port towns and on relevant studies of the Victorian city.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 255-271) and index.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; List of tables; Preface; Acknowledgements; Note on terminology; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. The world that commerce made; 3. Problems of prosperity; 4. White ethnicity, racism and social practice; 5. The dangers of depression; 6. Problems of prosperity revisited; 7. Ethnicity and organisation among Cape Town's workers; 8. A darker shade than pale?; 9. Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index.