Colonial Policy and Administration Flashcards
reasons for administration in Palestine
maintain Palestines strategic importance as a buffer against threats to the Suez Canal
maintain internal stability
1920 Samuel Commission
cooperation was difficult as the government in London sympathised with the Jews while British authorities in Palestine sympathised with the Arabs
attempt to reconcile the groups by H. Samuel, but efforts failed due to eruptions of ethnic tension
1929 Enquiry
Arabs were poor farmers who rented land, wealthier Jews began to buy up this land and growing numbers of Arabs were evicted
called for Jewish policy of land acquisition to be curbed
another enquiry in 1931 called for restrictions on Jewish land acquisition
pro-Jewish sentiment at home caused government to back down
British Policy in Palestine, 1936-39
1936 - British sent 20,00 troops to deal with Arab insurgency
1937 - Peel Report, Palestine should be partitioned into Arab and Jewish areas, Arabs opposed
1937-39 - Repression, 25,000 British troops sent to the region, 900 Arabs arrested
1939 - war imminent, British called for a Palestinian state that Jews could call a homeland
1939 - Jewish immigration restricted to 15,000 per year for 5 years
policy in Mesopotamia (Iraq)
managing internal conflicts between ethnic groups
vast oil reserves
early nationalism in Iraq
widespread muslim demonstrations against British rule turned into a full scale revolt
The Kurds, who wanted independence from Iraq, also rebelled
Britain intervened militarily
Anglo-Iraqi Treaty 1922
confirmed Faisal I as King
muslim who enjoyed good relations with Britain
British advisors appointed to most government departments
Britain controlled military
BUT led to increased nationalism due to extent of British control
Anglo-Iraqi treaty 1930
promised full consultation on foreign policy
Independence of Iraq
granted in 1932
Britain retained close economic ties
who is Britain’s oldest colony
Ireland
relationship with Ireland in the 1870s
Gladstone suggested home rule but conservatives in House of Lords rejected this
most of Ireland wanted it, except some counties in Ullster didnt as they feared religious persecution
1910 constitutional crisis
Liberal PM David Lloyd George wanted Liberals in House of Lords as he needed to find money to pay for the People’s budget
but the Conservatives in the House of Lords did not want this
DLG needed more support for this so offered Irish home rule if they joined him
1912 Home Rule Bill
made to house of commons
uproar between Catholics and Protestants of Ireland
led to Larne Gun Running where Germans supplied Irish Protestants (Ullster volunteer force) but Britain did not react to this
Howth gun running
irish nationalists feared Britain would not grant home rule due to UVF
created Irish volunteer force whose weaponry was supplied from Germany
Britain opened fire in response
Curagh mutiny 1914
British soldiers refused to enforce Home Rule in the North
three deaths and many casualties
Home Rule had to suspended due to WW1
Easter Rising 1916
group of Irish nationalists ‘Sinn Feine’ declare themselves as a republic
British brutally repressed, led to execution of key leaders
not supported in Ireland until British murdered leaders, then became martyrs
1918 coupon election
Sinn Fein win 73 seats who then set up their own parliament in Dublin and military wing - Irish national army (IRA)
led by Valera
war of independence 1918-1921
IRA used guerilla warfare against the British
British = black and tans
LoN condemned British due to terror
Anglo-Irish treaty 1921
created an Irish free state
act as a self serving Dominion
6 counties of Ulster opted to still be part of Britain
reasons for Irish civil war
Valera refused to accept 1921 treaty because Ireland was not a republic and the country was split
Irish civil war 1923
divisions between nationalists
Impact of statute of westminster in Ireland
Southern Ireland became a dominion
in what year did Southern Ireland gain full independence from Britain
1948
nationalism in Egypt
1919
Egyptians and Sudanese rejected British rule = strikes, rioting, civil disobedience, attacks on British military bases
800 Egyptians killed and 1600 wounded
independence in Egypt
‘Milner Report’ granted independence in 1922
but, refused to recognise Egyptian sovereignty over Sudan and troops remained, even after further treaty in 1936 in Suez zone
colonies under indirect rule
ruled by British through local leaders
e.g. Tanganyika, Sudan and most in West Africa
aim to promote social and economic development but all expected to be self financing = high taxes
settler colonies
substantial numbers of Europeans had settled and British ruled directly
Southern Rhodesia and Kenya
development in Sudan
British gave £3 million for the Gezira cotton scheme to increase cotton production
dam building and irrigation project
development in East Africa and West
East = 1925 allocated £10 million to improving rail and dock facilities
West = investment in schools and education
1929 Colonial Development Act
£1 million of British treasury funds for development projects across Empire
impact in North Rhodesia
impacted by great depression and limited imperial development led to strikes in copper mines
reasons for nationalism in Kenya
pressure to give Kenya a degree of self governance in 1920 - power given to 30,000 white settler community
became wealthy through growing tea and squeezed Kikuyu tribes out by taxing them heavily and banning them from growing commercial products, forcing them to migrate to cities
Devonshire Declaration 1923
interest of black africans had to be respected
Southern Rhodesia
white population was dominant
took political power and won effectively self government in 1923
Union of South Africa
promises to protect rights of ethnic minorities eroded
white minority established control over internal affairs by 1930s and Statute of Westminster enabled this white dominance to continue
why was there concern in the Dominions
their role in WW1 led to aspirations for control over their own affairs and British authorities knew this could not be ignored
British particularly concerned about Canada and South Africa
Commonwealth
Dominions could gradually become independent but still retain special relationship with Britain
based on free association of equal nations
Balfour Declaration 1926 gave substance to this idea
Statute of Westminster 1931
certain dominions should become independent nations
laws passed in Britain could not be enforced in those countries without permission of their own parliament
free to pass their own laws without interference or approval from Britain
immediate effect in Canada, Ireland and South Africa
Australia 1942 and New Zealand in 1947
nationalism in Canada
rioting in Quebec fate conscription introduced via 1918 military service act
15,000 ransacked conscription office
in response 780 federal soldiers were deployed
led to 150 casualties and $300,000 of damage
nationalism in Cyprus
4/5 population Greek and many felt British rule was a stepping stone to reunion with Greece
refused to partake in 15th anniversary celebrations
Greek MPs resigned
50,000 rallied in the streets in 1931 = 7 killed and 30 injured
nationalism in West Africa
powers of legislative councils were limited and african representation was minimal
National Congress of West Africa 1919 dominated by educated elite from Gold Coast and some concessions were granted in 1920s
spread of education = west African Students Union 1925 bring students together studying in London, nationalism in India inspired radicalism within group
members included Azikiwe and Nkrumah
nationalism in East Africa
Harry Thuku developed political protest initially involved in formatiion of the Young Kikuyu to recover lost Kikuyu land in Kenya
East African association in 1921, Kenyatta joined joined in 1922 became a campaign for African rights and representation
WW2 radicalised it - Thuku established Kenya African Study Union and Kenyatta became its president
three key problems to imperial defence
- Britain in severe economic difficulties, key industries lost out in international markets, Great Depression defending empire became a burden
- new aggressive regimes emerging, Imperial Japan in Asia, Fascist Italy in Africa attempt to conquer Abyssinia in 1935
- rise of nationalist independence move,emits made need for military resources more urgent
why did Britain take a geopolitical view
had to prioritise balancing the costs and military demands of defending Empire against needs in Europe and at home
mistaken belief that the League of Nations could provide security in international affairs but by mid 1930s it was clear this was not true
policy of appeasement
seeking to diffuse tensions with Germany and Italy by giving r hem what they wanted in terms of territorial gains in Europe
allowed British to strengthen forces against possible attack in Asia due to Japan
modernised Indian army and built up Singapore naval base (£25 million)
mistakes of Neville Chamberlain
underestimated the scale of ambition in Nazi Germany = went to war after Germany invaded Poland
Japanese attacked Singapore and Britain was too overstretched to reinforce adequately
Lord Linlithgow in India
viecroy from 1935-43
government of india act 1935 increased enfranchisement
believed would weaken nationalism
blamed for lack of economic development and failure to press for aid after Bengal famine
Phillip Mitchell
secretary of state in 1924
government of Kenya from 1944
