Attitudes towards Empire in Britain

Question 1

What were the Conservatives views about empire ?

Answer 1

Conservatives were the real ‘ Imperialists ‘ those who were enthusiasts for empire rather than just accepting it .

Question 2

How did the publics display of support for empire help the Conservatives ?

Answer 2

Helped the Conservatives win an impressive victory in the 1900 ‘ Khaki election ‘ might be taken as evidence of this. Shows support was high for empire and the appeal for it was high also.

Question 3

During years of Conservative ascendency, how did supporters of Salisbury embrace the imperialist cause ?

Answer 3

Argued for stronger and more closely united empire and for schemes that would benefit the Empire together in trade and government.
Shows enthusiasm and support and the benefit it could bring.
The support came from the belief that the correct policies could benefit British society and tun the Empire into an economic superpower.

Question 4

Did Liberals and Labourers support empire ?

Answer 4

Liberals - sought ‘education’ of colonies but still supported empire.
Labour - freedom through ‘empire’ not ‘from’ empire.
Shows that political partites chose to support/advertise for empire in order to attract public. Shows that support for empire was big and an important thing for public.

Question 5

Individuals such as who were influential arch imperialists who influenced support for empire because of their beliefs and views ?

Answer 5

Curzon,Milner and Chamberlain

Question 6

How did most fervent imperialists view Empire ?

Answer 6

As a sort of racial duty.

Question 7

How did these individuals justify Empire ?

Answer 7

Justified empire on authoritarian / moral grounds as a ‘ responsibility ‘, even a ‘burden’ that god had placed on Britain in order to bring stability and order to the world and sometimes on more liberal premises such as ‘civilising ‘ the colonial peoples, freeing them from supposed local oppression.

Question 8

What did Lord Curzon proclaim `?

Answer 8

‘there has never been anything so great in the world’s history than the British empire, so great an instrument for the good of humanity ‘

Question 9

Effects of Curzons words ?

Answer 9

Glorifying the empire and the actions of it.

Question 10

What did Lord Alfred Milner argue ?

Answer 10

Lord Alfred Milner, High Commissioner for South Africa ( 1897- 1905 ) argued that every white man of British birth should feel equally at home in every state of the empire.

Question 11

What did Joseph Chamberlain believe

Answer 11

Joseph Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary, high imperialist.
Believed there was a ‘ national crisis ‘ ( because of the industrial and military development of other powers ). Argued Empire was the only solution as it would genere wealth for social reforms

Question 12

Impact of the support and belief from influential individuals about empire ?

Answer 12

Helped increase public appeal for empire as these views were expressed and revealed to the public.

Question 13

Many imperial activists were part of what ?

Answer 13

societies like the Royal Institute , founded in 1870.

Question 14

Such societies proliferated the early twentieth century showing ?

Answer 14

There was widespread Appeal and support for the empire in Britain for imperialism and empire. Thus showing that many agreed with Britains policies about colonies and the empire.

Question 15

Examples of societies and organisations ?

Answer 15

Royal Constitute Institute , Victoria League, Round Table Movement, Empire Day.

Question 16

All these societies and organisations are what ?

Answer 16

Celebrations of empire ,to promote imperial values and ideas to educate. Celebration of empire shows that there was support in Britain.

Question 17

What did Chamberlain do about his ‘ national crisis ‘ ?

Answer 17

He encouraged his views because they would appeal to the working class who were affected by the ‘ national crisis’.

Question 18

Impact of individuals viewing imperialism as a duty ?

Answer 18

Their views is what encouraged some of the music and stuff like ‘ land of hope and glory ‘ which was brought to public attention.Rhodes also impressed upon audiences at home and abroad has belief that it was both the right and duty of Anglo - Saxons to dominate Africa and beyond.

Question 19

What was Empire Day ?

Answer 19

wasn’t celebrated until 1902, the idea of a day of festivities was intended to reinforce imperial identity and celebrate Empire.

Question 20

Impact of individuals work such as Rhodes intending to build the railway line north from the Cape through Bechuanaland, Rhodes intended the railway to continue along the spine of the mountain systems hoping it would reach the Nile, ensuring British domination ?

Answer 20

Reported in the popular press and spreading their ideas

Question 21

Why was Chamberlain popular in Britain ?

Answer 21

Chamberlain was popular in Britain following the break out of the second Boer War because of his belligerent attitude towards South Africa.

Question 22

Chamberlain summoned and chaired two further Colonial Conferences. He proposed imperial defence and customs union due to the increasing threat of Germany ? What was this

Answer 22

Proposed a way of reorganising the empire to expand more to therefore create more wealth so there could be social welfare reforms for working class who were affected by bad diet and living conditions from the ‘ national crisis’

Question 23

Literature - work and impact of writer Rudyard Kipling ?

Answer 23

He was a celebrated and popular writer who did much to shape the attitudes of the British public. He had an almost religious belief in empire and the superiority if the ‘ superior race ‘.

Question 24

What did the rejection of ‘ Imperial Preference ‘ show ?

Answer 24

showed empire was less popular and there was an increasing belief that there was more money out of empire.

Question 25

What was ‘ Imperial Preference’

Answer 25

cresting closer economic ties in the form of an imperial customs union. Chamberlian believed the colonies and commerce between them had the potential for greater productivity and growth.

Question 26

Where did resistance to Chamberlain’s imperial preference come from ?

Answer 26

The resistance came from many industries including manufacturing, shipping and banking. They argued that Britains wealth came from free trade and that the days of mercantilism were over,.The Empire was not an economic unity and far from self sufficient.

Question 27

How were the concerns about ‘ national efficiency ‘ spread ?

Answer 27

Across the media and the political spectrum there was concern about how the nation needed to be better educated and healthier therefore support for empire was decreasing. In 1902, it was common for journalists to and political commentators to speak about the need for national efficiency. This spread the view to the public that empire was partly to blame for the living conditions etc.

Question 28

Costs of the Boer War

Answer 28

more than 125,000 British and imperial casualties , including 22,000 dead .
mobilised resources and cost the British government £210 million.

Question 29

What did the cost of the Boer War lead to ?

Answer 29

Led to questions about the importance of empire and a lack of support towards it as it cost Britain a lot.

Question 30

What dictated the drive for ‘ national efficiency ‘

Answer 30

30,000 Boers held out for two and a half years against British forces
40% of British recruits had been tested and found unfit for military services - poor diet and living conditions weakened Britain’s manpower and military force.

Question 31

Why did people question the need for empire because of what was happening at home ?

Answer 31

Poor diet and living conditions shown in standard of soldiers
Poverty in early 20th century - two studies done in the late 19th century by Seebohm Rowntree and James Booth showed considerable poverty in parts of Britain.

Question 32

What individuals criticised empire ?

Answer 32

John Hobson
Emily Hobhouse

Question 33

What did Hobson say about empire ?

Answer 33

Imperial expansion had been driven for a search for new markets and new opportunities for the rich capitalists of Britain to make profited through investment.
Had a racist view that the Second Anglo- Boer War was fought to secure gold resources for those he called ‘Jew-Imperialists’ entrepreneurs and mining interests.

Question 34

Impact of Hobsons views

Answer 34

Hobson’s views did not signal the total rejection of empire but they did provoke debate and fed into socialist anti imperialism , although they had little immediate impact on policies.

Question 35

Work of Emily Hobhouse ?

Answer 35

Reports from Emily hobhouse, welfare campaigner, led to an enquiry into the conditions of Boer War

Question 36

Impact of government enquiry into Boer War

Answer 36

Helped tarnish the allure of imperialism and its supposed civilising mission.

Question 37

Liberals views to empire and imperialism whilst in government from 1906 - 1914 ?

Answer 37

Continuation of empire was never questioned

Question 38

Were critics of empire and anti imperialists strong ?

Answer 38

For the most part the voice of anti imperialists was hidden beneath a broad swathe of imperial support.

Question 39

What did Chamberlain say about a reorganised empire ?

Answer 39

• a reorganised empire would enable industrial recovery and provide employment. It would also generate wealth to fund social reforms such as pensions and increase the moral fibre of the British people.

Question 40

What was the Victoria League, founded in 1901 ?

Answer 40

• was a non - political organisation in the early twentieth century founded by women to promote a closer union between different parts of the then British Empire through ‘ hospitality, fundraising, friendship and education ‘.

Question 41

What were the years between 1890- 1914 a ‘ golden age ‘ for ?

Answer 41

• of newspaper publication

Question 42

Why was there so much newspaper publication ?

Answer 42

• technical advances in printing
• also the emergence of the professional journalist with a political agenda enabled print to respond to demand and reach out to a new mass audience.

Question 43

Who was Alfred Harmsworth ?

Answer 43

• pioneered the production of an entirely new form of cheap, populist newspaper in 1896 with the Daily Mail.

Question 44

Impact of Alfred Harmsworth ?

Answer 44

• Daily Mail was deliberately aimed at the lower middle class market and sold at a low retail price.
• During the Second Anglo Boer War 1899 - 1902, it was selling over a million copies a day, filling it with stories of the war, damning the Boers whilst praising the heroism of the British troops.

Question 45

What contributed to the impact of the press ?

Answer 45

• spread of education and greater literacy.
  Access to a wider mass of people.

Question 46

Nationalist and imperial themes was also found in in music. Where would the music be played ?

Answer 46

Such music was played at coronations, jubilees, pageants and exhibitions.

Question 47

Most well known musicians ?

Answer 47

Edward Elgar - popular and most well known ‘ imperial composer ‘