Podcast Summary: “Acontece que no es poco | Del colonialismo salvaje de los británicos al más salvaje apartheid de los bóers (2)”

Podcast: Todo Concostrina, SER Podcast
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

In this history episode, Nieves Concostrina continues the examination of the Boer Wars and their devastating aftermath, focusing on how British colonial interests and Afrikaner rule set the stage for apartheid in South Africa. The conversation critically analyzes the peace agreements, economic motivations, and the mythmaking surrounding the period—particularly highlighting the role of Arthur Conan Doyle in absolving British atrocities. The tone remains irreverent, sharp, and laced with Concostrina’s signature skepticism towards imperial narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Revisiting the Boer Wars & Their Conclusion

• The episode picks up from the previous week’s exploration of the Boer Wars, establishing their pivotal role in South Africa's formation.
• [01:37] Nieves points out that after initial British defeats, fortunes reversed in 1902 with the signing of the (impronunciable) Treaty of Vereeniging, effectively starting the modern history of South Africa.
  • Quote: “Aquí arranca ... el camino para entender cómo llegamos a la Sudáfrica que conocemos.” (B, 01:44)
• The Boers (Afrikaners) maintained self-government but under British sovereignty; critical concessions were made—particularly regarding the treatment of the Black population.

2. British Economic Interests Trump Ethics

• Britain gave Afrikaners “free rein” over Black South Africans in their territories—motivated not by ideals but by economic gain from mineral-rich regions (gold and diamonds).
• [04:03] The possibility is raised: could apartheid have been avoided had Britain intervened differently?
  • Quote: “...yo creo que mucho, mucho se podría haber evitado. Pero aquellos acuerdos ... no les vinieron, te aseguro, nada bien ni a los negros ni a Nelson Mandela.” (B, 04:08)
• The British prioritized economic returns over moral considerations, betraying prior wartime promises to Black South Africans and establishing a precedent later repeated elsewhere (“Las mentiras británicas... se están pagando hoy.” (B, 06:34)).

3. Roots and Mechanisms of Apartheid

• The Afrikaners imposed brutal restrictions, emphasizing ignorance and misinformation as tools of control.
  • Quote: “Esto era fundamental... Si tú quieres tener sometido a alguien, mantenlo desinformado e ignorante.” (B, 04:39)
• When the republics became British colonies, authorities allowed use of the Afrikans language for administration and education—a potential tool for integration twisted into a tool for segregation, igniting future deadly conflicts.

4. Segregation Intensifies

• With sanction from Britain, Afrikaners passed laws further dispossessing Blacks, confiscating land, abolishing rights, and instituting systemic exploitation.
• [08:53] “...los nativos africanos pasaron a ser tratados peor que animales y los británicos mirando a Cuenca mientras recibieran sus buenos beneficios económicos.” (B)
• Tie-in to the analogy of cuckoos—invaders that oust the “natives” from their own lands—a sharp metaphor for settler colonialism.

5. British/Boer Propaganda & the Arthur Conan Doyle Factor

• The war was deeply costly—tens of thousands of deaths on all sides, and massive British corruption scandals.
• Both British and Boers competed in post-war propaganda: Boers painted themselves as noble victims, and Britons sought to rehabilitate their image.
  • Notable depiction of Boer leader Paul Kruger as a “racist pollino” resistant from the comfort of Switzerland.
• [12:12] Arthur Conan Doyle is singled out for whitewashing Britain’s misconduct:
  • He justified prohibited weapons use, overlooked British concentration camps, and blamed Boer guerrilla tactics for British atrocities.
  • Quote: “...eso eran cosas de la guerra y que la culpa de todo... era de unos y de otros, sobre todo de los boers por no portarse bien.” (B, 12:56)
  • When challenged on omissions, responded with moral equivalence, justifying collective punishments.

6. Lasting Impact & Modern Implications

• The episode draws direct lines from these early 20th-century policies to South Africa’s late 20th-century apartheid and reflects on Britain’s recurring imperial betrayals, notably comparing South Africa to the issue of Palestine.
• Concostrina repeatedly highlights how colonial decisions made out of convenience, “mirar para otro lado,” and profit-seeking continue to reverberate with tragic effects.
• Closing reflection: “...hemos llegado casi al final, que es que merece que completemos el círculo... para comprender el incomprensible apartheid.” (B, 15:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On British-Afikaner Complicity:

  “Los británicos dieron a los afrikaners manga ancha con los negros en sus colonias... No les parecía bien la inhumanidad... Pero oye, la pela es la pela.”
  — B, [02:26]

• On Systemic Disinformation

  “Si quieres tener sometido a alguien, mantenlo desinformado e ignorante.”
  — B, [04:38]

• On Conan Doyle’s Apologetics:

  “Esto lo disculpaba todo... Respondía que bueno, que eso eran cosas de la guerra…”
  — B, [12:56]

• Brutal Accounting of Suffering:

  “En los campos de concentración británicos murieron 28.000 afrikaners. 22.000 de ellos tenían menos de 16 años.”
  — B, [12:50]

• Satirical take on imperial myth-making:

  “Este era como los españolistas enfermizos, esos que dicen que fuimos a América a civilizarlos porque hacían sacrificios humanos y en cambio nuestros métodos de colgar, descuartizar y quemar nativos eran mucho más guays de acuerdo con la ley de Dios.”
  — B, [11:10]

Segment Timestamps

• 00:57–02:26 — Contextual recap and start of the peace treaty discussion
• 03:45–06:34 — British motivations and the sellout of native populations
• 06:35–08:47 — Language policy, cultural segregation, and modern parallels
• 08:53–10:34 — Legalized oppression post-war; beginnings of British whitewashing
• 10:35–12:06 — Boer propaganda, myth-making, and leader Paul Kruger’s legacy
• 12:12–15:04 — Arthur Conan Doyle’s interventions and the concealment of abuses
• 15:04–15:23 — Preview of further discussions on the genesis of apartheid

Summary

This episode offers a biting, lucid analysis of how British and Boer colonial actions jointly created the foundation for South Africa’s apartheid—driven by economic greed and enveloped in propaganda. Nieves Concostrina, with sarcasm and incisiveness, exposes the cynicism of imperial policy, the complicity of celebrated figures like Conan Doyle, and the tragic, lasting cost for Black South Africans. The program stands out for blending sharp historical insight with critical, accessible storytelling.