Colonial Policy And Administration Flashcards
The government of India act 1919
Provincial councils run by elected Indian ministers took responsibility for local gov health education and agriculture
Legislative council lower and upper house with more elected members
Step towards full dominion status
The Simon commission
1929-30 Didn’t include Indian representation Suggested to gov act: Federal system More power to provinces Defence, internal security, foreign affairs in British control
Lord Birkenhead at the round table conferences
Doubt of non white leaders
What happened at the round table conferences
British rejected dominion status
The government of India act 1935
Gandhi attended the second one
The government of India act 1935
Created a federation of India by:
- mocking provinces completely self governing
- expanding the franchise 7-35m people
Why was repression adopted
- congress party opposed gov of India act as no independence
- princely states rejected federal India as wanted to maintain independence
- 1939 ministers in provinces resigned from office opposing Indian participation in war
Colonial policy in 1947
Failed- Britain lost India
Indirect rule in Africa
Ruled through existing rulers or mandates
Most of W Africa
Promotion of economic and social development
Development under indirect rule
£3m Gezira cotton scheme in Sudan
Limited as colonies are expected to self finance through taxtation
Direct rule in Africa
Britain ruled through own officials
Kenya pressured for self gov 1920s excluded Kikuyu tribe who are heavily taxed and couldn’t grow cash crops
Devonshire declaration 1923
Stressed interests of Africans had to be respected
Direct rule in Africa: white and black division
South Africa- white minority’s control internal affairs
Statute of Westminster 1931 enabled white dominance to continue
S Rhodesia white settlers self gov 1923
Palestine: jewish national fund
International organisation that buys land in Palestine for Jewish settlement- caused poorer Arabs to be evicted
Problems for British administrators in Palestine: Jewish immigration
1939 restricted to 15,000 year for 5 years- nazi persecution begins
Problems for British administrators in Palestine: change in policy
Palestine as a Jewish National homeland
Problems for British administrators in Palestine: dealing with Arab rioting and attack’s in Jews
1936- Britain sent 20,000 troops
Problems for British administrators in Palestine: 1937-1939
Policy of repression
Over 100 Arab terrorists hung
Problems for British administrators in Palestine: PEEL report
1937 Palestine should be partitioned into separate Arab and Jewish areas and shared holy places
Was the peel report a missed opportunity? Yes
- prevented introduction of repression policy?
- neural zone encourages unity
- only option the Jewish supported
- please America- so can expand into Middle East
- buffer country for sued canal
- protection of resources
Was the peel report a missed opportunity? No
- it is a compromise not a solution
- partition would lead to fighting over territory
- never worked before eg Bengal and Ireland
- insufficient funds after WW1
- encourage Jewish expansion and provoke Arab aggression
Was the peel report a missed opportunity?
No
The dominions: Canada’s growing national identity
Solider said “we went up vimy ridge as Albertans and Nova Scotians… we came down as Canadian”
The dominions: Canada and the USA
Negotiated a trade agreement
Kipling quote about those of British decent
Had “a certain crude faith in the empire”
The dominions: which Canadians generally opposed conscription?
French, farmers, unionised workers, non British
The dominions: peace conferences decisions:
New status of dominions- partners of Britain in the empire
The dominions: what was the Balfour Declaration
1926
First proposed by JBM Hertzog SA PM
Equal in status and not subordinate to one another in domestic or external affairs
The effect of the Balfour declaration 1926
Weakens British control but unites
The dominions: the statute of Westminster
1931:
Gave effect to political resolutions from conferences eg Balfour
Removal of the ability of parliament to legislate for the dominions- no longer make laws for the dominions without consent
The effect of the statute of Westminster 1931
Britain can maintain influence without financing
The effect of the imperial conference 1937
Some tensions which weaken relations but there is a high attendance (excluding Ireland)
What did Savage the PM of NZ say at the conference in criticism to appeasement?
“You can pay too high a price even for peace”
What topics were discussed at the 1937 imperial conference?
Foreign affairs and defence, trade policy, proposal of an imperial federation (dismissed)
4 problems with imperial defence
economic difficulties during interwar years (GD in 1930s)
Italy and Japan
Nationalist movements
Appeasement opposed by NZ and Aus
