What is the term for a policy of segregation or discrimination on the grounds of race?

The term "Apartheid" specifically refers to a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. It was characterized by laws that separated racial groups and denied basic human rights to the non-white population. This term carries historical significance and is closely associated with organized, systemic practices aimed at maintaining racial divisions and inequalities.

While other choices relate to racial disparities and segregation, they do not encapsulate the same level of structural enforcement and specific historical context that "apartheid" signifies. For instance, discrimination generally refers to unfair treatment based on characteristics such as race, but it is not as defined or systematically applied as apartheid. Racial inequality describes the broader concept of differences in status or treatment due to race, lacking the connotation of a government policy. Segregation, while it does indicate separation among racial groups, does not convey the extensive legal and societal framework that characterized apartheid. Thus, apartheid is the most accurate term in this context.