Unionist Party (South Africa)
Encyclopedia
The Unionist Party of South Africa was a pre-apartheid South African political party, which contested elections to the Union of South Africa
parliament from the 1910 South African general election until its merger into the South African Party
just before the 1921 South African general election
.
merged with the Constitutional Party of the Orange Free State
(known as the Orange River Colony from 1902 to 1910) and the Progressives of Transvaal
to form the Unionist Party of South Africa. Natal
had no political parties, before the Union, but some politicians from that province joined the new party.
The party was a pro-British conservative party. It favoured the maintenance of a pro-British political culture in South Africa similar to that present in the other 'white dominions'.
It was for the protection
of South African industries, particular the mining interests, from foreign competition that would force more unwanted 'coloured' immigration to South Africa, mainly from India. The party's interests were closely tied to those of the Anglo-South African middle class and the mining corporations in the diamond and gold mines of South Africa. It also enthusiastically supported British imperialism, and many of its founding members were those who had championed the British cause in the Second Boer War
.
The Unionists, as the largest party in the House of Assembly not included in the government, formed the official opposition in the first two South African parliaments (1910-1920). However, after the formation of the National Party
in 1914 and the subsequent outbreak of the First World War, the governing South African Party (SAP) lost its overall parliamentary majority in the South African general election, 1915
. The Unionists gave some support to the South African Party government, so it could continue in office as a minority government.
In the 1920 general election
both the South African Party and the Unionist Party lost seats. The Unionists, as the third largest group in the new House of Assembly, ceased to be the official opposition. In an article in The Times edition of 5 November 1920 it was explained that "when the Third Parliament of the Union met in April last General Smuts
found his party in a minority - 41 (and three Independents) in a House of 134. He decided to carry on, trusting to the support of the Unionists ..."
Faced with growing nationalism among the enfranchised whites and coloureds of South Africa, the Unionist Party's base dwindled. The party was forced into first an alliance and then fusion with the South African Party, in a futile attempt to stop the National Party from coming to power; which it did in the 1924 South African general election
.
The merger between the Unionists and the South African Party took place in November 1920. The enlarged party retained the name of the SAP.
. He was created a Baronet
after the Union of South Africa came into existence and was thereafter known as Sir Starr Jameson. Dr Jameson was famous as the leader of the ill-fated Jameson Raid
before the Boer War. He had also been Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1904 to 1908.
Jameson retired from the leadership in April 1912, when the Irish born Sir Thomas Smartt was unanimously elected as the new leader. Smartt had been a senior colleague of Jameson's, both in the Cape Colony Parliament and government and the Union House of Assembly. Smartt remained the Unionist leader until the fusion with the South African Party in November 1920.
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
parliament from the 1910 South African general election until its merger into the South African Party
South African Party
The South African Party was a political party that existed in the Union of South Africa from 1911 to 1934.-History:The outline and foundation for the party was realized after the election of a 'South African party' in the 1910 South African general election under the leadership of Louis Botha...
just before the 1921 South African general election
South African general election, 1921
The 1921 South African general election was held for the 134 seats in the House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa, on 8 February 1921. The South African Party, which since the previous election had fused with the Unionist Party, won an absolute majority.-Delimitation of electoral...
.
History
In May 1910, the Unionist Party of the Cape ColonyCape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
merged with the Constitutional Party of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
(known as the Orange River Colony from 1902 to 1910) and the Progressives of Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
to form the Unionist Party of South Africa. Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
had no political parties, before the Union, but some politicians from that province joined the new party.
The party was a pro-British conservative party. It favoured the maintenance of a pro-British political culture in South Africa similar to that present in the other 'white dominions'.
It was for the protection
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
of South African industries, particular the mining interests, from foreign competition that would force more unwanted 'coloured' immigration to South Africa, mainly from India. The party's interests were closely tied to those of the Anglo-South African middle class and the mining corporations in the diamond and gold mines of South Africa. It also enthusiastically supported British imperialism, and many of its founding members were those who had championed the British cause in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
.
The Unionists, as the largest party in the House of Assembly not included in the government, formed the official opposition in the first two South African parliaments (1910-1920). However, after the formation of the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
in 1914 and the subsequent outbreak of the First World War, the governing South African Party (SAP) lost its overall parliamentary majority in the South African general election, 1915
South African general election, 1915
The 1915 South African general election was held on 20 October 1915 for the 130 seats in the House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa. This was the second Union Parliament...
. The Unionists gave some support to the South African Party government, so it could continue in office as a minority government.
In the 1920 general election
South African general election, 1920
The 1920 South African general election was held for the 134 seats in the House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa, on 20 March 1920. This was for the third Union Parliament....
both the South African Party and the Unionist Party lost seats. The Unionists, as the third largest group in the new House of Assembly, ceased to be the official opposition. In an article in The Times edition of 5 November 1920 it was explained that "when the Third Parliament of the Union met in April last General Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
found his party in a minority - 41 (and three Independents) in a House of 134. He decided to carry on, trusting to the support of the Unionists ..."
Faced with growing nationalism among the enfranchised whites and coloureds of South Africa, the Unionist Party's base dwindled. The party was forced into first an alliance and then fusion with the South African Party, in a futile attempt to stop the National Party from coming to power; which it did in the 1924 South African general election
South African general election, 1924
The 1924 South African general election was a realigning election in the Union of South Africa's House of Assembly held on June 19, 1924 to elect 135 members...
.
The merger between the Unionists and the South African Party took place in November 1920. The enlarged party retained the name of the SAP.
Party leaders
The first Unionist Party of South Africa leader, from May 1910, was Leander Starr JamesonLeander Starr Jameson
Sir Leander Starr Jameson, 1st Baronet, KCMG, CB, , also known as "Doctor Jim", "The Doctor" or "Lanner", was a British colonial statesman who was best known for his involvement in the Jameson Raid....
. He was created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
after the Union of South Africa came into existence and was thereafter known as Sir Starr Jameson. Dr Jameson was famous as the leader of the ill-fated Jameson Raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
before the Boer War. He had also been Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1904 to 1908.
Jameson retired from the leadership in April 1912, when the Irish born Sir Thomas Smartt was unanimously elected as the new leader. Smartt had been a senior colleague of Jameson's, both in the Cape Colony Parliament and government and the Union House of Assembly. Smartt remained the Unionist leader until the fusion with the South African Party in November 1920.