Colonial Administration/Role of British Government Flashcards
Macmillan’s Wind of Change Speech
3 February 1960
Quotation from Wind of Change Speech
‘The wind of change is blowing through this continent and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact’
Quotation from Wind of Change Speech about decolonisation
Talks about ‘what they [the UK] will do for Nigeria and other countries now nearing independence’
Labour government promised to abolish ‘imperialist exploitation’ as early as…
1942
Involvement in the Colombo Plan was accepted by the British
1950 - foreign aid plan to help SE Asia
‘Second colonial invasion’
Wave of new administrators and experts in Africa post WWII
Where was Attlee educated?
Haileybury - a school founded to train boys to became part of the imperial system
Fabian Society
Socialist Sect which supported Empire
Fabian Society set up a Colonial Bureau
1940 - place where Empire policies could be debated without being constrained by stereotypes regarding Labour and Conservative parties
Labour’s problem with trusteeship
It had been a sham in the past and economic development had been highly limited
What did many government officials fear would happen to their ex-colonies?
Russians would gain control of them
Particularly feared by Foreign Secretary Bevin (1945-51)
Colonial Development Corporation
1947
Public utilities developed in the colonies
New technology introduced (tractors, bulldozers, test-tubes)
Worked with the Overseas Food Corporation
Growth of Colonial Office post-WWII
Staff x 3
Expenses x 4
1000s of new men (many of whom had been wartime officers) were involved
In the 5 years following WWII, X men went to Africa
6500 men went to Africa
6 x number who governed India at its height
New governmental/administrative roles
Adviser on Trade Unions
Example of the British controlling who gained power after independence
British Guiana - suspended their constitution in 1954 when the country voted in what seemed to be a communist administration
Iain Macleod became Macmillan’s Colonial Secretary
October 1959
Iain Macleod on the inevitability of the collapse of the Empire
‘The march of men towards their freedom can be guided, but not halted’
What did many Civil Service officials do following independence in colonies?
Stayed on to help the transition/train others
Andrew Cohen’s roles
Head of the Africa Department in the Colonial Office
Governor of Uganda (1952-57)
Cohen Report
1947
Set out a new direction for colonial policy - mapped a route to granting independence to stabilised African countries
Andrew Cohen’s actions as Governor of Uganda
Brought Africans into government
Encouraged the development of political parties
Expanded the Uni of Makerere
Sir John Macpherson’s role
Governor of Nigeria
Actions of Macpherson
1951 organised major conference to discuss a constitution which would reconcile conflicting political groups
1951 Macpherson Constitution
