Hofmeyr - Alan Paton
1 in stock
Description
‘Hofmeyr’ by Alan Paton is a biography of Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894–1948), the South African politician widely regarded as one of the leading liberal voices in the country before the formal establishment of apartheid. Paton traces Hofmeyr’s intellectual development and political career, examining his commitment to racial tolerance, individual freedom and a more inclusive South African society. The book explores his work in government, his relationship with Prime Minister J. B. M. Hertzog and his close association with Jan Smuts, under whom he served as a senior minister and wartime deputy prime minister. Paton also considers Hofmeyr’s friendship with him and the support Hofmeyr gave him when he became principal of Diepkloof Reformatory, where he introduced more progressive methods of rehabilitating young offenders. Drawing on Hofmeyr’s public life and personal character, Paton presents a portrait of a gifted politician whose liberal principles placed him increasingly at odds with the direction of South African politics. First published by Oxford University Press in 1964, the biography offers valuable insight into the political struggles and liberal ideals of South Africa during the decades leading up to apartheid.
Condition
Good condition, as pictured
Filed under: (Auto-)biographies