Attitudes towards imperialism in Britain, 1890-1914 Flashcards
Queen Victorias diamond jubilee
1897
large celebrations throughout empire, encapsulated imperialist views
50,000 soldiers from all across empire used
Concerns in Britain
decline in British production, relative to that of USA and Germany
inadequacies of army highlighted in Boer war - outdated weapons and only 40% soldiers should have passed their medical test plus scorched earth policies sparked scepticism
what is national efficiency?
the government needed to be better organised and without the country would be eclipsed by growing powers
supported by Joseph Chamberlain
measures taken to improve national efficiency
1902 education act = opened 1000 secondary schools
modernisation of the royal navy = new class of battleship (Dreadnought) launched in 1906
free school meals 1906
old age pensions 1908
new centre of technological, medical and scientific excellence established in London in 1907 = Imperial College
leading exponents = David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill
Popular Press
technical advances in printing and the emergence of the professional journalist enabled print to respond to demand and reach a new mass audience
Harmsworth pioneered the production of a new cheap newspaper = The Daily Mail in 1896, during the boer war it sold over a million copies a day, damning the Boers and praising the heroism of the British and later turned its vitriol against the Germans
serialised a number of patriotic books e.g. The Spies of Wight
literature - Rudyard Kipling
often ciritcal of colonial administrators
religious belief in empire and filled his work with references of Britains ‘higher goals’
works of Kipling and G.A. Henty proved to be victorian bestsellers
literature - womens writings
Gertrude page emigrated to Rhodesia in 1900 and produced 20 novels based on the lives of fellow settlers
Mary Grant focused on committed colonialists
Music
nationalist and imperialist music was played at coronations, jubilees and exhibitions
imperial ballads were performed by brass bands, church choirs
Examples of composers
- Edward Elgar - sought to stimulate listeners emotions and create mental images which captured the nobility of Empire e.g.’Imperial March’ for Jubilee, ‘Crown of India’ for Delhi durbar in 1911, and ‘Coronation Ode’ for Edward VII
- Henry Coward took his Sheffield choir to the Dominions in 1911 (throughout whole of empire music was important)
Childrens literature
diet of adventure stories e.g. Boys of the Empire
The Religious Tract Society created the Boy’s Own Paper and the Girl’s Own Paper which secured a readership of half a million from 1890-1914
based on promotion and celebration of military and missionary activity
Childrens groups
Robert Baden-Powell established the Boy Scouts in 1908 and the Girl Guides in 1911, designed to train defenders of empire through competitive challengers to earn badges, most successful method, extended to other countries of Empire
some had christian dimensions e.g. The Girl’s Friendly Society had 200,000 members by 1914
Empire in schools
history and geography tended to emphasise the glories of empire and presented the explorers and missionaries as heroes
ABCs for baby patriots - adopted at ALL levels
pageantry of Empire Day involved children of all classes
Representations of empire
advertisers used imperial connotations to sell their goods
continued social darwinist views
Architecture
Lutynes designed Johannesburg Art Gallery and the British Pavilion. In 1912, he was invited to New Delhi to help design a new home for the Indian Government
Representations of empire - King George Vs Coronation
Crystal Palace in 1911
3/4 sized models of parliamentary buildings from around empire were built
pageant included history of London and Empire, music which was performed by a military band
Intra-Empire Sports championship was held
Khaki election
1900
conservative victory
evidence of support for boer war
justified on moral grounds as empire was a responsibility to bring stability and order to the world
Liberals
aimed at education and improvement of the colonies and their people with the objective of ultimate self-rule
both the liberals and the new labour party wanted freedom through empire
Conservatives
Lord Sailsbury PM 1895-1905
agreed in favour of a closer and stronger empire
support for territorial expansion e.g. Africa
correct policies would turn the Empire into an economic superpower
Racial Duty and 2 main supporters
British were indispensable for the advancement of ‘backwards races’
Lord Curzon and Alfred Milner wanted a stronger empire but ruled by white people
Supporters of empire - Joseph Chamberlain
Colonial Secretary
believed there was a national crisis that only Empire could solve as a reorganised empire would enable industrial recovery and provide employment
it would generate wealth to fund social reforms
believed in educating the public about the values of empire
tried to forward desire for union between Britain and the settler colonies but too unrealistic
Supporters - Royal Colonial Institute
membership doubled during this time period
founded in 1870
provided a meeting for those interested in colonial and Indian affairs
Supporters - The Victoria League
founded in 1901
aimed at including women
promote closer union between different parts of the Empire through ‘hospitality, fundraising, friendship and education’
Supporters - Round Table Movement
founded in 1909
Milner wanted to promote a closer union between Britain and its self-governing colonies
1910-1911, Round Table Movements formed in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada
Supporters - Empire Day Movement
celebrated from 1902
a day of festivities to reinforce imperial identity and celebrate Queen Victoria (held on her bday)
part of imperialists drive to educate the British public
Journalists like Leo Amery helped represent certain ideals of the Empire to the British people - propagating imperialist values with little reference to the realities of colonial rule
