Quote:You mean more people that take up arms against their own governments? Or could you be more specific?
Yes, taking up arms against his government was a wonderful start (and an act with a long and honourable tradition).
But I was thinking more of his ability to not seek or encourage revenge against the people who jailed him for 27 years. With Mandela's prestige and popularity, he could have easily plunged South Africa into a bloody and destructive civil war. Instead, he opted to work with those who had wronged him to end an unjust and inhumane policy.
Making up 'what if' scenarios about history is a risky proposition at best, but I think we're on fairly safe ground to claim that history would have been different without Mr. Mandela.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
