Introduction
The African National Congress, founded in 1912, is one of the oldest liberation movements on the African continent and one of the most important organizations in South African political history. It began as a vehicle through which African elites sought constitutional protest against racial exclusion. Over time it evolved into a mass movement, then an exiled liberation organization, and eventually the governing party of democratic South Africa.
Early Years
The ANC was founded in response to the exclusionary order consolidated after the Union of South Africa. In its early decades it relied heavily on petitions, deputations, and constitutional argument. This reflected both the political culture of its leadership and the limited space available for African political participation.
Radicalization and Mass Politics
In the 1940s and 1950s the ANC changed significantly, especially under the influence of the Youth League and leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo. Campaigns such as the Defiance Campaign helped transform it into a broader mass movement. After the Sharpeville massacre and the banning of the organization in 1960, the ANC was forced underground and into exile.
Exile, Armed Struggle, and Return
During exile the ANC combined diplomacy, underground organization, and armed resistance through Umkhonto we Sizwe. It also built international solidarity networks that made apartheid increasingly costly for the South African state. When negotiations began in the early 1990s, the ANC returned as the dominant liberation force.
In Government
Since 1994 the ANC has governed South Africa for most of the democratic era. Its transformation from liberation movement to ruling party has brought both achievement and criticism. It played a central role in building democratic institutions, yet it has also faced scrutiny over corruption, factionalism, and governance failures. Its history is therefore inseparable from the history of democratic South Africa itself.