Colonial Policy and Administration (14)

Question 1

British attempts to counter nationalism in India in the inter-war years

Answer 1

Rowlatt Act of 1919 gave the authorities powers to punish protestors of British rule
- proved counterproductive and led to resistance and events such as the Amritsar Massacre of April 1919

Round Table Conference in the Early 1930s
- failed to achieve anything near Dominion Status

Britain resorted to its old policy of ‘divide and rule’
- played the All India Muslim League (Led by Jinnah) against the Hindu Congress movement (Led by Gandhi)

Question 2

The Government of India Act (1)

Answer 2

1919

• Viceroy retained control of major areas - defence and foreign affairs
• Legislative council split into 2 - lower and upper house a
• Provincial councils were setup for Indian ministers and took responsibility for local government, health, education and agriculture.
• Britain hoped they would help dissolve nationalism in the Indian Congress

Question 3

Simon Commission

Answer 3

1929-1930
No Indian representation
Suggested: Provinces should be given more power
BUT defence, internal security and foreign affairs should remain in British control

Question 4

Round Table Conferences

Answer 4

1930-1931
Led by opposition in India
Gandhi attended the second on behalf of the Congress Party
Britain refused Dominion/ self governing status for India

Question 5

Government of India Act (2)

Answer 5

1935
Created a Federation of India:
- Provinces were made completely self-governing but the Viceroy could suspend this governance in times of emergency
- Expanded the franchise from 7 million to 35 million

Rejected by Congress as it was not Dominion status
In 1939 in protest to the war, members of the Congress-controlled ministries resigned and the British had to impose direct rule and crush protests with force

Question 6

Colonial policy/ administration in indirectly ruled colonies in Africa

Answer 6

Focus on economic and social developments
E.g:
- Sudan 1920 - £3 million for Gezira Cotton Scheme to increase cotton production - major dam and irrigation project
- West African - investments in schools and educational facilitates
BUT initiatives were limited - colonies expected to be self-financing, which meant projects had to be funded from
local taxes from African natives

Question 7

Colonial policy/ administration in white settler colonies in Africa

Answer 7

White settlers pressured for a degree of self governance
E.g: Kenya 1920
- Power was granted to 20-30 thousand white settlers who controlled the Legislative Council and excluded Indian settlers and the Kikuyu tribe from the Northern Highlands.

White settlers became richer from growing coffee and tea
They pushed the Kikuyu out by imposing high taxes and stopping them from selling these products.
Led to:
- increasing nationalism from Kikuyu
- ‘Devonshire Declaration’ of 1923 stressed to respect the tribes
BUT
White dominance continued through Statute of Westminster

Question 8

British rule in Palestine

Answer 8

• Herbert Samuel - British-led civil government in 1920 - tried to bring Arabs and Jews into an elected representative with influence over govt policy BUT not successful due to ethnic tensions
• Needed to settle Jewish-Arab religious disputes
• Arabs were poor, renting their land whilst Jews were able to buy land - led to Arab eviction
• Disputes as London/USA govts. were pro-Jewish but British authorities in Palestine were sympathetic to Arabs

Question 9

Policies in Palestine

Answer 9

1933 - Nazi persecution accelerated Jewish immigration
1936 - 20,000 British troops to deal with Arab revolt against Jews
1937 - Peel Report recommended splitting Palestine, the Arabs opposed this
1937-39 - British repression to stop violence - 100+ Arab terrorists hung
1939 - British changed policies to allow Jews the right for a ‘national homeland’
1939 - Jewish immigration restricted to 15,000 - stopped Arab violence

Question 10

Policies and administration of Iraq

Answer 10

Managing internal conflicts between ethnic groups shaped Britain’s policies.

1920 - Iraqi revolt had to be crushed with British troops and air power
1921 - Cairo Conference allowed for some self-governance BUT British kept military and foreign affairs control
1922 - Anglo-Iraqi treaty confirmed Faisal I as King BUT British controlled major bases and had influence over the army, which it trained
1930- Anglo-Iraqi Treaty agreed to share foreign policy matters with each other
1932 - Full independence BUT British still had influence for oil and strategic purposes

Question 11

Statute of Westminster

Answer 11

Balfour Declaration 1926 – Equal status for Dominions

• Laws passed in Britain would not be enforced in those countries without permission of their own government
• They were to pass their own laws
• Came into immediate effect in Canada, South Africa and the Irish Free State

Question 12

Problems for Imperial Defence?

Answer 12

1. Severe economic difficulties - cost of defending Empire became a bigger burden (after War and Great Depression)
2. Aggressive regime imposed - E.g Imperial Japan in Asia - a threat to British Empire
3. Rise of nationalist movements - E.g in India - means more spending on defence

Britain had to decide between costs of Empire against needs in Europe/home

Question 13

Policy of Appeasement?

Answer 13

• Appeased Germany with territory to try and stop another European war
  = Britain could focus on strengthening Indian Army and build up Singapore naval base -spent £25m
• BUT after WW2 attack from Japan in Asia - policy unravelled and Britain was too weak to defend it as well as Europe

= British imperial defence policy was largely a failure