'I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand the complex history of South Africa ... I realised how little I knew of the historical and political context of how apartheid came to be the dominant political system ... Allen exposes many little-known facts ... the book is very well researched, well written, easy to read and very thought provoking. It should appeal to a wide audience.'

In 1905, when Britain legalized racism in South Africa, no single body of the population was strong enough to oppose it. Blacks were fragmented tribally, whites split by language, Coloureds and Indians by religion. South Africa’s peoples were therefore ripe for exploitation by their British overlords: apartheid was established under the umbrella of colonialism and the original occupants of the land plunged into serfdom.

British Members of Parliament opposed the legislation.
The British press decried the government’s decision.
Influential individuals warned against it.
The decree was passed.

How did this happen? And why? This is the story.