The South Africa Disputes before Apartheid: The United Nations and Commonwealth Relations, 1946-1952

In examining the early United Nations disputes over South African racial and expansionist policies between 1946 and 1952, this book explores how South Africa found itself out of step with the post-war international environment and had become a pariah state as well as an embarrassment to its Commonwealth partners even before apartheid was formally discussed at the world organisation. Focusing on international concerns around two specific disputes at the UN; the treatment of Indians in South Africa, and Pretoria’s attempts to annex the territory of South West Africa (Namibia), Barnes highlights how divisive these issues became for the Commonwealth of Nations.The recently independent Asian ‘new’ members, especially India, led the charge in criticizing these policies.But for the ‘old’ White members, from whom South Africa expected support and who initially went the furthest in supporting their partner, the situation was more problematic.These governments increasingly felt uncomfortable ope