The Crown gave assent to Apartheid legislation during the 1950s for specific political reasons
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
1 source for · 0 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
Historical analysis indicates that the Crown gave assent to Apartheid legislation during the 1950s because refusing it would have provoked a severe political and constitutional crisis, as the Crown was bound to act on ministerial advice.
# Why did The Crown give assent to Apartheid legislation during the 1950s?
Tags: political-history, law, democracy, south-africa, apartheid
- Score: 12
- Views: 1055
- Answers: 1
- Answered: yes
- Asked by: Samuel Russell (14498 rep)
- Asked: 2015-05-12
- Edited: 2015-05-12
- Site: history
## Question
Why did The Crown give assent to Apartheid legislation during the 1950s?
For example, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, Act No 49 of 1953 was assented to by the crown. The relevant law in the 1950s was the South Africa Act 1909 as amended by the Status of the Union Act 1934.
HV Evatt describes the situation as being that the Crown, being the King or Governor General, could only act on the advice of their ministers. (HV Evatt 1936, The King and His Dominion Governors, 298-300)
## Answers
### Answer by Samuel Russell (score: 13 [ACCEPTED])
The Crown could not refuse assent without launching a coup d'etat against parliament in circumstances that would have produced outrage against the Crown sufficient to result in an election that would surely return a ministry bound to dismiss the existing Governor General, and, potentially, force a republic. Westminster inspired Cro