Conservative gov 1957-64

Question 1

Historiography: Commonwealth

Answer 1

• John Kent argues that Macmillan presented a picture of himself as compromising the commonwelath
• Stuart Ward argues that British government ‘sold out’ on the interests of the Commonwealth
• Peter Lyon refers to Suez Crisis as ‘psychological watershed’
• Wolfram Kaiser argues that by 1960 Commonwealth was a liabilty to Britain

Question 2

Historiography: Europe

Answer 2

• Peter Teed argues that Britain faced stark choice between Europe and commonwealth
• David Sanders sees Britain’s turn to Europe as final retreat from Empire

Question 3

Historiography: Wind of Change speech

Answer 3

• Saul Dubow that speech merely recognized already existing forces
• Stuart Ward argues that it was a watershed in decolonisation of white settler empire

Question 4

White settlers/commonwealth

Answer 4

• Roy Welensky noted in 1961 in Rhodesia the sense of abandonment amongst white settlers
• Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Inependence in 1965 Rhodesia
• South Africa becomes a republic in 1961

Question 5

Decolonisation

Answer 5

• By the end of 1960, sixteen states had secured inependence in Africa (fourteen French)
• Nigerian independence, 1960
• Malaya independence 1963
• British Somaliland independence 1960
• Tanganyika 1961
• kenya 1963

Question 6

1959 election

Answer 6

-Conservatives increase majority to 101 seats
-Iain Macleod replaces Lennox Boyd as Colonial Sec
-Lord Home replaces Lord Salisbury as President of the Council
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Question 7

Historiography: Conservative policy

Answer 7

-D.J. Goldworthy stresses the importance of 1959 election in shaping new decolonisation policy

Question 8

Primary Sources

Answer 8

• Macmillan’s 1957 Balance sheet of Empire
• Lennox-Boyd Imeperium et Libertas 1958 argues decolonisation too fast
• Macmillan 1960 Wind of Change speech
• Iain Macleod speech to Conservative Party Conference in 1961 stresses importance of commonwealth becoming a successor of empire, and acceptance of African nationalism

Question 9

Europe applications

Answer 9

• 1961 application, rejected in 1963
• Second rejected application in 1967
• Accepted in 1973

Question 10

Opposition to Europe application

Answer 10

-R.A Butler only member from Macmillan cabinet to reject application in 1961

Question 11

Colonies/Commonwealth and Europe

Answer 11

• Only Malayan Federation were unconcerned by British plans to join EEC
• June 1961 the French Oliver Wormser wrote that tariffs would be needed on non-EEC countries including Commonwealth