I Am Prepared to Die

Mandela denies acting under the influence or direction of communist forces, but he does not disavow either socialist or capitalist economic strategies. In a world divided between warring superpowers, how does he maintain his political independence?

How does Mandela describe his unique political ideology and influences? What practical, ethical, and political considerations have led him to develop this ideology?

Why does Nelson Mandela argue that violence, for the African people, had become “inevitable” (9), and how does he substantiate his argument?

Mandela describes apartheid South Africa as a police state. How does the pervasive, harsh enforcement of apartheid laws impact daily life for Black South Africans?

Of the four viable forms of violence that Mandela identifies, Umkhonto chooses sabotage as the least harmful to human life. How does this tactic work as a mode of political resistance? What are its aims, and how does it achieve them?

Mandela describes the vastly disparate living conditions between Black and white South Africans during apartheid. What connections does he draw between inequality and civil unrest?

Did Umkhonto’s methods of sabotage work as an alternative to non-violent methods of resistance, or in conjunction with them? Explain your answer using evidence from Mandela’s speech.

Though apartheid is over, and Black South Africans have political representation, racial inequality persists in the country. What does Mandela suggest about what it will take to undo the damage caused by colonial racism?