Foreign Developments: Decolonisation Flashcards
(15 cards)
Why did Britain have to abandon so much of its Empire after WWII?
It was too expensive
What is an example of the Empire being too expensive?
Britain owed over £1.2 billion to India alone
What did Macmillan do to decide which colonies should stay and go?
He created a ‘profit and loss’ scheme to decide
What was the result of Macmillans scheme?
It came out with inconclusive results
How many colonies became independent between 1957 and 1964?
20 colonies
By what fraction did British trade with the Commonwealth fall by in the early 1960s?
1/2
Which continent had nations in it that Britain started to trade with more?
Europe
What year did Macmillan make his ‘wind of change’ speech?
1960
What were 2 reasons Macmillan sped up the decolonisation progress?
- Colonies left financial stress on the Treasury
- The pattern of British trade was changing
What would be an advantage for other foreign relations of reducing the Empire?
Less obstruction for being part of the EEC
What year did Jamaica gain independence?
1962
What year did Nigeria gain independence?
1960
How could decolonisation be argued as a success for Macmillans government financially?
There would be less financial stress on Britain
Name a nation where decolonisation proved difficult
Rhodesia
How did the British public feel about Decolonisation?
They mostly felt it was a logical thing to do
