Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa in the year 1918. One major event in is life was his election to presidency and the intentions he had. Throughout his life, Mandela changed lives and even inspired lots of people along the way. He used his strong conviction to shape a better world in South Africa and beyond. Mandela formed many organizations and alliance during his lifetime that influenced the society positively. Besides, he remains the symbol that one individual has the power to create a difference. Mandela’s presidency happened at a time when the blacks in South Africa were greatly oppressed. Assuming office at a historical point when apartheid was at its peak, he promoted unity and made the whites and blacks to accept each other. Mandela’s establishments cannot be ignored on its positive impact in South Africa (Arslan & Turhan, 2016) . The paper will use both primary and secondary sources for information on how Mandela contributed to the world. As such, this paper examines the impact of Nelson Mandela’s life to South Africa and beyond.
Mandela’s election to presidency was a life changer to the people of South Africa and the rest of the world. Notably, the biggest legacy he left behind during his tenure in office is the abolition of apartheid. In South Africa, life was not easy for the blacks under the rule of the white man. There were racial divisions that even denied the blacks the right to vote. However, with the release of Mandela from prison and election to presidency, the lives of the black people changed. The introduction of the multi-racial election put end to the apartheid in the country. With Mandela at the helm, the transformation in South Africa happened peacefully despite the history of police brutality and racial violence in country. Therefore, the historical context on which he was elected president is significant to South Africans and the rest of the world.
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Firstly, Mandela’s presidency came at an opportune time when apartheid was rife. Being president, Mandela was able to bring equality and peace among the whites and blacks in the country. It was his major objective when assuming office as the president of South Africa. Mandela channeled his Ubuntu lessons to ensure he has achieved togetherness. He ensured he had created a tie that binds all the whites and blacks despite having a violent history. Mandela managed to influence a conversation among the people that would encourage unity among the people. As a result, despite having a past full of racial violence, he managed to create a lasting atmosphere of peace.
Secondly, Mandela was a global symbol of human rights of the 20 th century. He dedicated his life to the freedoms and liberties of his people. Even on trial, Mandela was assertive on fighting against white domination and oppression of the blacks. He was morphed into a symbol of resistance against the apartheid rule. After his release from prison, he intensified his fight against oppression of the South African and the rest of the world (Arslan & Turhan, 2016) . Mandela’s championing for human rights had ripple effects to other countries. Leaders in other countries followed his philosophy by echoing his words and actions. Fighting for the rights of the children was one of his primary objective. Even today his foundation is calling for dignity and voice of the children. Through his actions, South Africa is a non-racist country where the whites and blacks live in harmony.
Thirdly, Mandela’s role in promoting democracy cannot be ignored. As a president, he inspired a doctrine where democracy and national interest were intertwined. In fact, Mandela’s establishments defines the current democracy that exists in African states. He condemned and distanced himself from tyrants in countries like Libya, Angola and Congo. Thus, he called for countries where democracy included genuine happiness of the citizens. Mandela was invited in various platforms throughout the world to speak on democracy “(Lessons from Mandela on the Fight for Freedom”). His intentions was democratization of all African states, which he influenced greatly by condemning one-party states. Even after leaving office, his predecessor Thabo Mbeki continued with the idea of encouraging African states to democratize. No doubt, Mandela’s doctrine of democracy had a great influence to the world regarding democratization.
Finally, Mandela provided an exemplary leadership that remains in the hearts of the global community. His presidency gave people hope and inspired many other people in different parts of the world. Mandela made major decisions whose influence transcends race, culture, and borders. He turned down conditional amnesty in 1985 and chose to remain in prison for his strong beliefs (Pietersen, 2015) . Mandela sacrificed his life for the love of his people. Apart from that, his leadership style can be reflected in the manner he created peace. While many blacks wanted revenge against the whites, Mandela decided to build lasting peace instead. He prevented the violence and mayhem and appealed to the black to remain calm. Besides, he refused for a second term as president, which is unlikely to happen anywhere in the world. These actions created a footprint that guides world leaders to date. Mandela is a symbol of precious and rare leadership that has influenced leaders in various parts of the world.
References
Arslan, H. K., & Turhan, Y. (2016). Reconciliation-oriented leadership: Nelson Mandela and South Africa. All Azimuth , 5 (2), 29.
Lessons from Mandela on the Fight for Freedom. (2013, December 19). Retrieved from https://freedomhouse.org/blog/lessons-mandela-fight-freedom .
Pietersen, W. (2015). What Nelson Mandela taught the world about leadership. Leader to Leader, 2015(76), 60-66.
