Attitudes towards imperialism Flashcards
When was the Empire Marketing board set up?
1926 (set up by Colonial secreary Leo Amery)
Why was the British public bombarded by imperial imagery?
to encourage trade with empire (much of it officially supported by the government )
How did the Empire Marketing Board promote empire?
-poster campaigns, exhibtations, lectures, radio talks, newspapers etc
It also had its own film unit which produced over 100 documentaries including “Solid Sunshine” (about butter from New Zealand)
When was the Wembely exhibitation opened?
April 1924
How much of the £2.2 million cost of the Wembely exhibitation did the government pay?
50%
How many people visted the Wembely exhibition?
Over 17 million in 1924 and 9 million in 1925
=raised the profile of empire to millions of people
When was the exhibitation in Glasgow?
1938
How many people went to the Exhibitation in Glasgow and what was its main theme?
12.8 million people
and focused more on “progression and peace” and emphasis on the commonwealth
State some examples of NGO and private organisations promoting empire
-Press Baron Lord Beaverbrook used his newspapers to promote empire and esp imperial preference
-BBC (established in 1923) was pro-imperalism and pro-establishment
-Empire embedded within education e.g Particularly in Geograpy and History as well as Literacy e.g Kipling’s Poetry
-Univerities provided specific training for colonial civil servants
State same examples of influence of empire on culture
-clubs, magazines and books commonyl had imperial themes
- Sir Edward Eglar continued to promote imperial themes in his music, though arguably his music was slowly becoming out of fashion
-In cinema some imperial themes in well known films e.g The Four Feathers (1939)
State some examples that suggest a lack of influence and imperialism on Britain
-Imperial themes rare in cinema instead British film dominated by comedy and if empire did come up it was jsut considered another setting for comedy and the majority of the box office had American films
How might growth in imperalist proganda reflect public attitudes?
= Gov encouragment for proaganda and growth of it can be a key indication that it was requried and that there was a lack of conseus from the public towards empire
What was empire day?
First celebrated 24 th May 1902
Became an official holiday from 1916
re-named British commonwealth day in 1958
= popualr event with mass participation, encouraged by the government
In the interwar years the message behind empire day began to shift:
-less explicit jingoism after WW1
-focus on “family of nations” i.e commonwealth
-becoming increasingly popular all over empire
How might British attitudes and culture impact imperial policy?
Arguably imperial policy is a relfection of British attitudes that have been created due to heavy imperailsit propagnda
similar to Disraeli playing the empire card in 1874
What was the working class experience?
Increasingly voting labour
generally not pro-empire more focused on social reform at home but some industries very aware of empir e.g cotton due to Ghandi’s protests
What was the experience of the middle-class?
Interest in Pacifism and peace movements as well as “internationalism” e.g League of Nations
What was the experience/ impact of WW2 on representations of empire?
Two main themes in film
-celeberating imperial contribution
-promoting greater understanding and tolerance ofr other ethnicities
e.g West Indies calling (short information film featuring well-known Carribean personalities)
State a conclusion
British public attitude to empire in this period probably generally positive but not necessarily unversial
As an increase in pro-imperial propangda does not mean an increase in a pro-imperial public
In fact more likely to suggest a lack of general interest due to the need for such propaganda
