Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
Domestic challenges to National Party power, 1974–83, including political…
Full specification wording
Redefining resistance and challenges to National Party power, 1968–83: Domestic challenges to National Party power, 1974–83, including political unrest, problems in the Bantustans, National Party division and scandal, economic pressures and the cost of defence commitments.
From 1974, National Party rule faced interconnected domestic strains.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
From 1974, National Party rule faced interconnected domestic strains. Political unrest, notably the Soweto uprising (1976), exposed the failure of Bantu Education and sparked sustained protest. The Bantustans, designed as nominally independent homelands, suffered poverty, overcrowding and denied citizenship, undermining their legitimacy. Within the NP, verligte–verkrampte divisions and the Muldergate scandal (1978) damaged unity and public trust. Economic pressures included recession, inflation and skills shortages, while defence spending on the SADF and border war consumed resources. These challenges did not immediately end apartheid but eroded the NP's capacity to govern without reform or repression.
What earns the marks
- Explains how the Soweto uprising and subsequent unrest challenged NP authority and forced limited reforms.
- Analyses the political and economic failure of the Bantustan system, including loss of citizenship and dependence on South Africa.
- Discusses NP internal divisions (verligte vs verkrampte) and the impact of the Muldergate scandal on party credibility.
- Assesses how economic pressures (recession, inflation, skills shortages) and defence costs strained NP resources and legitimacy.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the Bantustans as genuinely independent states.
Put it right: They remained economically and politically dependent on South Africa and were not internationally recognised.
Assuming NP divisions were only personal rivalries.
Put it right: They reflected deeper ideological splits over reform and apartheid's future.
Ignoring the link between defence spending and domestic economic pressures.
Put it right: Border war costs diverted funds from social spending and fuelled inflation.
Exam tips
- Use specific examples (e.g., Soweto 1976, Muldergate 1978) to illustrate each challenge.
- Link domestic challenges to the NP's later reforms (e.g., 1983 constitution) to show significance.
- Balance coverage of political, economic and social factors in essays.
Try the lesson
The start of the Redefining resistance and challenges to National Party power, 1968–83: Domestic challenges to National Party power, 1974–83, including political unrest, problems in the Bantustans, National Party division and scandal, economic pressures and the cost of defence commitments. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which major event of 1976 began in a Johannesburg township and spread across South Africa as a wave of protest against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in black schools?
Listen
From 1974, National Party rule faced interconnected domestic strains. Political unrest, notably the Soweto uprising (1976), exposed the failure of Bantu Education and sparked sustained protest. The Bantustans, designed as nominally independent homelands, suffered poverty, overcrowding and denied citizenship, undermining their legitimacy. Within the NP, verligte–verkrampte divisions and the Muldergate scandal (1978) damaged unity and public trust. Economic pressures included recession, inflation and skills shortages, while defence spending on the SADF and border war consumed resources. These challenges did not immediately end apartheid but eroded the NP's capacity to govern without reform or repression. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains how the Soweto uprising and subsequent unrest challenged NP authority and forced limited reforms. Analyses the political and economic failure of the Bantustan system, including loss of citizenship and dependence on South Africa. Discusses NP internal divisions (verligte vs verkrampte) and the impact of the Muldergate scandal on party credibility. Assesses how economic pressures (recession, inflation, skills shortages) and defence costs strained NP resources and legitimacy. A common slip: Treating the Bantustans as genuinely independent states. Instead, they remained economically and politically dependent on South Africa and were not internationally recognised. Exam tip: Use specific examples (e.g., Soweto 1976, Muldergate 1978) to illustrate each challenge.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Resistance and repression
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Political legitimacy
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Economic constraints
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Internal party dynamics
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Resistance and repression
- Political unrest, notably the Soweto uprising, sparked sustained protest that eroded the National Party's capacity to govern without reform or repression.
- Political legitimacy
- The Bantustans' poverty, overcrowding and denied citizenship undermined their legitimacy, while the Muldergate scandal damaged public trust.
- Economic constraints
- Recession, inflation and skills shortages placed pressures on the National Party, while defence spending on the SADF and border war consumed resources.
- Internal party dynamics
- Verligte–verkrampte divisions and the Muldergate scandal damaged unity and public trust within the National Party.
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