“Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela Analytical Essay

In the fast developing world, advances and progress move countries and nations forward but at the same time, some things are left behind and become a burden for the people and evolution to better life conditions.

With particular reference to globalization there is a price that must be paid, in relation to nation’s leaders and citizens. Nelson Mandela gives an insight into civil matters through an autobiography titled “Long Walk to Freedom”.

One of the first accounts that Mandela has with the nation is when they “flew by helicopter to the First National Bank Stadium in Soweto”1. Even thought the world has taken a big step forward, people were still living in poor conditions.

This fact proves that globalization brings many more aspects of government and social life to a country and engulfs politics, culture and the general environment. Advances change the social lives of people and modernize many parts of it while leaving some matter unattended.

This happens in a way of people who are poor and unable to support themselves, cannot hope to receive more attention and better care, as the political aims of the government are targeted on the global market, international economics and relations.

After Nelson Mandela was released from prison and took on a tour of Africa, he wanted to give people a message of his support and determination to help create a new world with equal opportunities, proper education, absence of crime and discrimination2.

He states that “with changes in travel, communication, and mass media, the world had accelerated; things now happened so fast it was sometimes difficult to keep up with them”3. This is another confirmation of how the shift changes the world and increases the pace of social and cultural life.

People start living in a new world where communication and practicing of culture and traditions becomes allowed, yet there is little time for details and individual people.

As a leader of his people, Nelson Mandela understood that every issue pertaining to the lives of people and their prosperity must be addressed.

He speaks of how much poorer his village has gotten, whereas before it was simple and tidy but presently, the fast moving world has filled it with plastic that takes so long to deteriorate, polluted water and young children living amongst change, as a natural way of life4.

Globalization makes it extremely difficult for people’s issues to be resolved in a shortest amount of time but also, it is hard for the nation’s leaders to get into every corner of all communities.

The world has become smaller and people can enjoy more rights than previously but economics have become consuming for the countries. All the focus is tended towards security, global issues, control of people moving in and out of the countries and the ever-changing social fabric.

Migration has affected the African environment, making it diverse and giving people a chance to see other places.5 There is also a change in focus in the priorities the government sets up.

The increasing population puts more demands on the leader which requires adjustment of policies that are best suited for the modern time. The international affairs put strict criteria and guidelines on the political world and conduction of governing.6

An inevitable process of globalization has increased the pace of progress but has created more conditions that can become worse. People’s individual lives must be taken care of, so that the society feels strong and supported, in order for the nation to flourish.

References

Bell, Daniel. The Coming Of Post-industrial Society. United States: Basic Books, 2008.

Finlayson, Reggie. Nelson Mandela. United States: Lerner Publications, 2005.

Hamilton, Sara. Globalization. United States: ABDO, 2008.

Mandela, Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom. South Africa: Macdonald Purnell, 1995.

Footnotes

1 Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (South Africa: Macdonald Purnell, 1995), 569.

2 Reggie Finlayson, Nelson Mandela (United States: Lerner Publications, 2005), 97.

3 Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (South Africa: Macdonald Purnell, 1995), 573.

4 Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (South Africa: Macdonald Purnell, 1995), 581.

5 Sara Hamilton, Globalization (United States: ABDO, 2008), 57.

6 Daniel Bell, The Coming Of Post-industrial Society (United States: Basic Books, 2008), 137.