The Beginning of Responsible Government
The Cape Colony was brought under responsible government in 1872. Under its previous political system, the government ministers of the Cape reported to the British colonial Governor of Cape Colony, and not to the locally-elected Cape Parliament. This changed in 1872 when local politician John Molteno - with the backing of Governor Henry Barkly - instituted responsible government, making ministers responsible to Parliament and becoming the Cape's first Prime Minister. The Cape remained under responsible government until 1910, when it became the Cape Province within the new Union of South Africa. An important point to be made about the political system of the Cape under responsible government, was that it was the only state of southern Africa to have a non-racial system of voting. Later however - following the Act of Union of 1910 to form the Union of South Africa - this multi-racial universal suffrage was steadily eroded, and eventually abolished by the Apartheid government in 1948.
Read more about this topic: History Of Cape Colony From 1870 To 1899
Famous quotes containing the words beginning, responsible and/or government:
“The beginning is the chiefest part of any work.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)
“Michael Corleone: My father is no different than any powerful man. Any man who’s responsible for other people. Like a senator or a president.
Kaye: Do you know how naive you sound?
Michael Corleone: Why?
Kaye: Senators and presidents don’t have men killed.”
—Mario Puzo (b. 1920)
“You and I ... are convinced of the fact that if our Government in Washington and in a majority of the States should revert to the control of those who frankly put property ahead of human beings instead of working for human beings under a system of government which recognizes property, the nation as a whole would again be in a bad situation.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)