5. Attitudes towards imperialism 1890-1914 Flashcards
Key term: bellicosity
Aggressive attitude suggesting eagerness to fight
Key term: Pooling of sovereignty
Shared authority, so that Britain no longer had supreme power over the Empire
Political support for Empire
1900 Conservative Khaki Election victory
Liberals wanted education in colonies
Labour wanted increased worker rights in empire
Labour and Liberals, freedom through empire
Moral support for empire
Civilise world
Missionary, God’s work to civilise
Provide welfare and rule of law
Key individuals who supported the empire
Curzon
Milner
Chamberlain
Economic support for the empire
Economy benefitted from trade
pooling of sovereignty
Society support for the empire
Victorian League 1901 for women to create bonds in empire
Round Table movement in 1909, closer ties within self governing colonies
What was Chamberlain’s ‘imperial preference’ programme
White dominion leaders met so they could be relied upon in times of emergency
Commerce between colonies would lead to greater productivity and growth
Resistance towards Chamberlain’s imperial preference programme
Manufacturing, shipping and banking preferred free trade
Old ‘mercantilism’ idea had gone
Overall failure of the imperial preference programme
1906 elections favoured Liberal party free trade
Australia and NZ imposed tariffs
Canada made trade links with Germany, France, Italy and Japan
Swadeshi movement burnt British textile goods in India 1905
Political critics of empire
Awareness of focus on trade and commerce over missionary work
3 Individuals who critiqued the Empire
Emily Hobhouse inquiry into Conc Camps in Boer War
Herbert Spencer critiqued enthusiasm for colonial expansion
Walter Crane anti-war illustrations
Difference between Old Gladstonian Liberalism and New Liberalism
Society sum of parts
Society ‘organic’ more than sum
State remove financial obstacles to advancement
State distribute wealth equally
Low tax
High tax
State role small
State role increased
Reasons for national efficiency
After Boer war where military exposed
40% military proved to be unfit due to living condions or diet
Industrial production declining compared to USA or Germany
How national efficiency was improved
1902 Education act increase standards and open 1000 schools in next decade
Modernised Navy
1907, ‘Imperial Colledge London’
Liberal reforms, Free school meals, school medical inspections, OAPs health/unemployment insurance
