(2) Imperial and Colonial Policy Flashcards
Definition: cabinet minister
One of a committee of senior minister responsible for controlling government policy
Definition: monopoly
Exclusive right to control trade
Definition: sepoys
Indian soldiers serving in the East India Company
Definition: Raj
British rule from 1858-1947 Hindi term for ‘king’ or ‘tule’
Definition: Indigenous
Native or born in area
Definition: free trade
A system whereby goods are important and exported without restriction or tariffs
Definition: effective occupation
A European power which could demonstrate that it had a local treaty agreement and an active administration and was able to police the territory, was recognised as it’s rightful ruler
What the colonial office consisted of
- 5 main departments: N A, Aus, W Indies, Africa and Med
- Headed by cabinet minister with title ‘colonial secretary’
Extent of control of trade for the colonial office
- did not run all British possessions oversees
- some protectorates and areas under authority of the foreign office
Role of the East India Company. What was it? What happened?
- company that run India originally
- a monopoly over British trade within Asia
- disbanded after Indian Mutiny
India administration: impact of the Mutiny on the control of India
- change of rule needed to prevent further occurrences
- East India Company disbanded and Queen Victoria apologied
India administration: Terms of the Government of India Act 1858
- eic companies passed to queen
- Secretary of State of India created
- 15 members of the a new Indian council
- Viceroy
- civil service controlled by Secretary of State
India administration: how victory was helped to rule the country
- with legislative council who took control of finance, law, army, economy Edit
- provincial councils led by governors with their own council members
India administration: Who was in the Indian Civil Service?
- consisted of many British professionals
- mostly white
- bilingual Indians appointed as a low level clerks across provinces
India administration: How did Britain cooperated with native people and sustain power?
- native rulers of princely states
- ‘doctrine of lapse’ British control after native bloodline went
- status for rulers
- some acceptable of local tradition within legal system
India administration: examples of development under British rule
- public work schemes
- transport, building railway network
India administration: public opinion by native Indians about British rule
- crown now different from EIC
- Englishmen ran the subcontinent
- Indian National Congress in 1885 to debate and criticise English rule and demand for greater role in gov
India’s defence: Reasons for strengthening the army
- mutiny rises British lives and commercial interest
- rule should not be taken for granted
India’s defence: army structure
- Proportion British to Indian troops raised to 1:2
- in late 1880s had 70k Brits and 120k Indians
India’s defence: how Britain controlled the army
- troops trained in own districts and cut off from one another to prevent unity
- increased number of Gurkhas and Sikhs who had been loyal to Britain instead of Bengali troops
- more British officers
- artillery put into the hands of Britain
- natives denied office ranking
India’s defence: role of the railway
- exaggerate British presence
- deploy troops swiftly
Scramble for Africa: reasons for involvement
- concerned about position compared to other European countries
- industrial challenge
- 1873 Great Depression encouraged expansion and search for new markets
- sense of exploration into ‘dark continent’
Scramble for Africa: Threat of Germany
- huge supply of natural recourses
- united country
- increased presence oversees with new merchant ships
Scramble for Africa: Threat of France
- after defeat to Germany in 1871, serge in development in arms
- wanted to restore ‘rightful’ place in the world
- foothold in Indo-China in the 1860s
Scramble for Africa: Threat of Russia
- expanded their economy in Central Asia
- Empire extended to boarders of Afghanistan
- railway which threatened India
Scramble for Africa: Brussels Conference 1876, who and why
- King Leopold
- protect Belgium interests in Congo and hosted the conference for explorers and leaders
Scramble for Africa: Brussels Conference 1876, agreements
- indigenous people incapable of developing natural recourses
- intervention necessary
- new routes to Africa’s lakes through roads and railways
- Internationals African Association to coordinate affairs
Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference 1884-85, who and why
- Otto Bon Bismarck
- for European powers and USA
Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference 1884-85, Initial tasks
- Basins and mouths of Congo and Niger River to be left open for trade
- major powers mapped our ‘spheres of influence
Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference 1884-85, General terms
- all nations trade in basin of Congo
- power and influence should protect indigenous people and suppress slave trade
- support religious, scientific and charitable undertakings
- if land is taken on coasts, must signify to leaders
- principle of Effective Occupation
Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference 1884-85, Successes
- good European relations
- expanded empire in ordered fashion
Scramble for Africa: Berlin Conference 1884-85, failures
- did nothing for indigenous people
- no representation of indigenous people
- Boarders did not recognise natural ethnic, linguistic and religious divide
- no effort to stop Arab Slave Trade
