No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Analyse

The statement is a direct paraphrase of Mandela’s 1994 autobiography (*Long Walk to Freedom*, p. 622), where he explicitly argues that hatred is a learned behavior, not innate. This claim is supported by developmental psychology, which shows that racial or religious prejudice is socially conditioned rather than biologically inherent (e.g., studies by Allport, 1954; Aboud, 2008). Mandela’s framing of love as a more 'natural' human tendency is philosophical but consistent with his advocacy for reconciliation and anti-apartheid messaging. No credible evidence contradicts the attribution or core assertion of the quote.

Achtergrond

Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) wrote *Long Walk to Freedom* during and after his imprisonment (1964–1990), reflecting on apartheid’s dehumanizing systems and his belief in humanity’s capacity for change. The quote encapsulates his post-release emphasis on unity, later institutionalized in South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995). Psychologists widely agree that prejudice is learned, though debates persist on the innate *potential* for in-group/out-group biases (e.g., evolutionary psychology).

Samenvatting verdict

Mandela’s quote accurately reflects his stated beliefs in *Long Walk to Freedom* and aligns with psychological research on learned prejudice.

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