How did the Empire influence British attitudes and culture: 1890-1914

Question 1

Supporters for Imperialsim

Answer 1

-Khaki election: Conservatives win 1900 election using the victories in the Boer War as leverage over why imperialism is working/good

-Lord Curzon: Empire was ‘an instrument’ for the ‘good of humanity’

-Alfred Milner: Round Table movement - promotes closer union between Britain its self-governing colonies

-Joseph Chamberlain: Empire (and Imperial Preference) would solve crisis of other powers developing faster than Britain

Question 2

Critics of Empire

Answer 2

• John Hobson: Empire only for rich capitalists (views came from Boer War, believed it was a ‘capitalist plot’ aimed to secure gold reserves for rich British
• Emily Hobhouse: Welfare campaigner who reported on concentration camps, eventually tarnished Imperialisms reputation to civilized world
• William Digby: raised awareness about Indian grievances in the British Parliament in 1888

Question 3

Popular press

Answer 3

1890-1914 ‘gold age’ for newspaper publication: Alfred Harmsworth pioneered the Daily Mail in 1896 aimed at lower-middle class, sold at a low price - sells a million copies a day during Boer War

Question 4

Empire and youth

Answer 4

• Boys Scout Movement 1908 - trained on the Empire competitively for badges and promoted imperialism and to grow up in its service
• History and geography books emphasized the glories of the empire and explorers and missionaries were presented as heroes

Question 5

Empire and King

Answer 5

-King George V’s coronation was celebrated with festival of Empire at Crystal Palace in London 1911

-Intra-Empire sports championship became known as British Empire Games (later Commonwealth Games)

Question 6

Need for national efficiency?

Answer 6

-450,000 troops served against 30,000 Boer for
2.5 years leads to demand for better army

-‘Home grown’ soldiers needed

-40% of British recruits from Britain were unfit and poor diet and living conditions weakened Britons

Question 7

Improvement from National Efficiency

Answer 7

• Modernisation of the Royal Navy: dreadnought launched in 1906 (in the wake of German navy expansion)
• 1906 Free school meals
• 1907 school medical inspections
• 1908 old age pensions
• 1909 unemployment and health insurance