Editing Alan Paton (section)

==Opposition to apartheid==
In 1948, four months after the publication of ''[[Cry, the Beloved Country]]'', the right-wing [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] was elected to power in [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]. Black South Africans did not receive the vote until 1994 so were unable to oppose this directly. The legislature soon passed laws to formally establish [[apartheid]], a system of racial segregation.

Paton, together with [[Margaret Ballinger]], [[Edgar Brookes]], and Leo Marquard, formed the Liberal Association in early 1953. On 9 May 1953, it became the [[Liberal Party of South Africa]], with Paton as a founding co-president,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://paton.ukzn.ac.za/Collections/liberal.aspx|title=Formation of the Liberal Party of South Africa|website=Alan Paton Centre and Struggle Archive|publisher=University of KwaZulu-Natal|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref> which fought against the [[apartheid]] laws introduced by the National Party government. Alan and his wife Dorrie at times sought shelter from the police, at the [[safe house]] of [[Colin Webb (historian)|Colin Webb]].<ref name="guest2017">{{cite book | first=Bill | last=Guest | year=2017 | title=Stella Aurorae: The History of a South African University | publisher=Natal Society Foundation | location=Pietermaritzburg | volume=2: The University of Natal (1949–1976) | url=https://www.natalia.org.za/Files/Publications/Stella%20Aurorae%202.pdf | access-date=2024-04-20}}</ref>

Paton served as President of the LPSA until the government forced its dissolution in the late 1960s, officially because its membership comprised both [[Bantu peoples in South Africa|Blacks]] and [[White South Africans|Whites]]. Paton was a friend of [[Bernard Friedman]], founder of the [[Progressive Party (South Africa)|Progressive Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2005-11-14-a-mixture-of-ice-and-fulfilled-desire |title=A mixture of ice and fulfilled desire – Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source |publisher=Mg.co.za |date=14 November 2005 |access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref> Paton's writer colleague [[Laurens van der Post]], who had moved to England in the 1930s, helped the party in many ways. The South African Secret Police were aware that van der Post was providing money to Paton and the LPSA, but they could not stop it by legal procedures. 

Paton advocated peaceful opposition to apartheid, as did many others in the party. Yet, some LPSA members took a more violent stance. Consequently some stigma attached to the party, not just within South Africa, but also outside the country. The South African government confiscated Paton's passport when he returned from New York City in 1960, where he had been presented with the annual Freedom Award.<ref name=NYTimes/> His passport was not returned to him for ten years, making it impossible for him to travel to speak to other countries.

Paton retired to [[Botha's Hill]], where he resided until his death. He is honored at the Hall of Freedom of the [[Liberal International]] organisation.<ref>[http://www.liberal-international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=1026 Alan Stewart Paton, South Africa (1903–1988)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026112904/http://www.liberal-international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=1026 |date=26 October 2011 }}, Liberal International website</ref>