Chapter 17- imperialist ideas Flashcards
By 1948, what statistic of people did not know the difference between a colony and a dominion?
In 1948 ¾ of the population did not know the difference between a dominion and a colony
When was the Wembeley exhibition, how much did the government contribute and how many people visited within the 1st year?
Exhibitions were staged, such as the Wembley Exhibition of 1924 to which the government contributed half
the £2.2m cost. It was intended to give visitors an experience of the British Empire ‘in miniature’. Over 17m visitors attended in 1924 and another 9 million in 1925. They came away with an impression of a
thriving, forward-looking and diverse empire and memories of glimpses of how some of its more picturesque
inhabitants lived
How did the BBC promote the empire?
The BBC was established in 1923, under its first Director General, John Reith, took as strong pro-imperial stance and covered as many major imperial events, exhibitions and public celebrations as possible. There were Christmas broadcasts from 1932 which included not only the King’s speech but also various items
about the Empire. The Radio had the power to focus the loyalty of all the empire’s subjects on the figure of
imperial unity – the monarch. In 1933 a handful of people from the empire were invited to speak about
themselves and their daily lives. Radio was a device which would strengthen imperial links and promote a sense of common identity among the
empire’s subjects. It exposed the empire’s subjects to other cultures and ideas, not all of them conducive to
imperial harmony. There were 15-minute talks by experts on different aspects of the empire.
How did education promote the empire?
The historical study of the Empire became established in universities, with special professorship in Imperial History being created such as the Vere Harmsworth Chair at Cambridge (1919). The universities played an important role in training Colonial Servants, as exemplified by the role of London’s
University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, formed in 1917
How did film portray the empire?
The emergence of cinema as mass entertainment was another source of imperial culture. It was the greatest source of entertainment between the wars – offering an unprecedented opportunity to spread the imperial message to the masses. Feature films such as Sanders of the River (1935) and The Four Feathers (1939) used the Empire as a backdrop
for adventure, singling to the public that the Empire was a place of excitement, the flaying out of the finer
attributes of ‘British character’ and showing that the empire was a force for human progress. The British Board of Film Censors, founded in 1912, job to ensure films were fit to show as the government insisted that every film which portrayed the empire or its servants showed both in a flattering
light
How did music promote the empire?
At the 1924 Empire Exhibition, the composer Edward Elgar conducted mass choirs in the singing of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and a new eight-song ‘Pageant of Empire’ and ‘Empire March’ were performed. His death in 1934 almost signified the passing of the ‘grand’ imperial era
How did commercial advertising promote the empire?
Large traders with the empire such as the Co-operative Wholesale society celebrated their global and imperial
links in their advertising especially in their supply of products such as tea with packets containing collectable
cards illustrating places in the Empire
How did Empire day promote the Empire?
They sought to create a sense of belonging to the family of nations, owing allegiance to the same monarch. It was celebrated right across the empire with participants often wearing their national dress of other costumes representing the different colonies in the Empire. During the early stages of WW2, it was believed to be important to promote positive images of empire, given the importance of the Empire and Commonwealth to the war effort
How did travel promote the empire?
Formation of Imperial Airways in 1924. Provided flying boat trips to parts of the empire. Upper-Middle class could afford this. Allowed people who already had a connection to the empire to travel there quicker and slightly widened the pool of people who could travel to the empire
What other things affected British thinking within 1914-48?
Other political developments and issues that were more
important to people off e.g. welfare state, the rise of Advertising and trade and their link to Britain’s power communism, women’s suffrage, war
How did the government promote the empire?
Through mass communications and social organisations, the British population was bombarded by imperial
imagery, much or it officially supported by the government who were keen to encourage trade with the empire
How did the Empire Marketing board promote the Empire?
The Empire Marketing Board, set up in 1926 following the efforts of Leo Amery, the Secretary of State for
Colonies and Dominions, promoted the consumption in Britain of items produced in the Empire through posters and advertising campaigns (gov. intervention in advertising, not only private companies now). The board became even more active with the onset of the great depression as the Empire became more important to the British economy
Why did the labour party win the 1945 general election?
Landslide victory of the Labour party in 1945 who won primarily due to the promise of aiding domestic issues rather than supporting Indian independence.
What did people view the empire as in 1918?
People viewed the empire as a valuable asset to Britain and a key to Britain’s victory in 1918
How did people view the loss of India?
People lamented the loss of India in 1947 – and people didn’t support the idea of the ultimate dissolution of the British Empire
