- White supremacy: The belief that the white race is superior to all other races. This belief was used to justify the segregation of white and non-white people in all aspects of life, including education, employment, housing, and transportation.
- Racial purity: The belief that each race should be kept separate in order to avoid "racial contamination." This belief was used to justify the prohibition of interracial marriage and relationships, as well as the forced removal of non-white people from white areas.
- Separate development: The belief that each race should have its own separate territory and way of life. This belief was used to justify the creation of "homelands" for non-white people, which were often located in remote and impoverished areas.
- Paternalism: The belief that white people were responsible for taking care of and protecting non-white people. This belief was used to justify the control that white people had over non-white people in all aspects of life.
Apartheid was a deeply racist system that caused widespread suffering and injustice for non-white people in South Africa. It was finally dismantled in 1994 after a long struggle for freedom and equality.