Reasons for Decolonisation

Question 1

Impact of Suez Crisis (1956)

Answer 1

• ‘Turning point’ towards decolonisation:
  
  • Lost position as ‘top player’ in post-war world, highlighted by humiliating w/d from Egypt at Eisenhower’s request
  • Crisis spun nationalism further?
    
    • After w/d, Nasser “heroic”
    • Br no longer indestructible force!
• H/lighted dependence on US:
  
  • Chanc. Macmillian seek Int’l Monetary Fund $500 mill loan
    
    • Refused due to US pressure
    • Br compliant to US demands due to dram. fall of sterling value/post-WWII debt to US
    • Couldn’t afford to damage relationship w/ US
  • H/lighted econ weakness/inability to act w/o US support:
    
    • Br position as global military power shattered - now a limited, weak force!
• Resulted in PM Eden resignation:
  
  • Allowed Macmillan to enforce focus on Br’s situation, les on desire to maintain emp!

Question 2

Growing nationalism

Answer 2

• Fought w/ Br for better democratic future (WWII)
• Process of colonisation provided education, resources, economy necessary for revolution
  
  • Leaders travelled to EU for education
    
    • Opened eyes to ideas of democracy
• Br effectively lost control of colonies:
  
  • Accra riots in G. Coast (1948)
  • CPP success in elections (1951)
    
    • All before Suez - nationalism already signif before crisis!
• Inc. nationalism after Suez gave final boost to movement
• Undermines impact of crisis!

Question 3

Macmillan’s audit (1957)

(use w/ Br economic weakness)

Answer 3

• Reasoned there weren’t enough benefits acquired fr empire to justify cost/effort of maintaining emp & supressing nationalism
• Convinced dismantling empire wouldn’t damage econ interest
  
  • Econ benefit no longer valid reason for maintaining control
• Crisis led to weighing of benefits of empire; weakness h/lighted by crisis!

Question 4

Britain’s economic weakness

(use w/ Macmillan’s audit)

Answer 4

• Emerged fr WWII economically weak
• Enormous debt - borrowed $3.75 mill from US alone
• 1954-60 trade w/ EU rose 28%
  
  • only 1% in sterling areas/colonies
  • In light of this benefit, Macmillan turned focus to EEC, to solve Br’s econ probs
    
    • Needed to cut ties w/ commonwealth by granting independence

Question 5

Macmillan’s ‘wind of change’ speech (1960)

Answer 5

• Outlined approach to Afr emp/matter of decolonisation
• 1st time Br govt publicly acknowledged decolonisation
• Showed priority to change Br’s perception of Br’s role as ‘old-fashioned’ colonial pressure
• Speech relative to context of post-war world/insignif of imperialism?
• Encouraged nationalists
  
  • interpreted as call for black majority rule
• Decolonisation shown as inevitable - crisis merely acted as catalyst towards this realisation!

Question 6

Events in Africa

Answer 6

• Failure of CAF:
  
  • showed that any form of govt that didn’t allow black majority rule was doomed to fail
• Mau Mau rebellion:
  
  • defeated in 1956; steps made to legalise political parties in Kenya
  • Constitutional reform intro led to black majority rule
  • rebellion generated great econ. costs - over £30 mill
    
    • Br taxpayer £10,000 to capture 1/000 Mau Mau
    • immense cost of colonial commitment h/lighted
  • Nationalists undoubtedly held initiative after Hola Camp Massacre (1959)
    
    • Col. Sec. Ian Macleod acknowledged need for “swift change”
    • resulted in concessions to nationalists
      
      • steps made to est. constitution offered wider enfranchisement on new legislative council!

Question 7

• WWII - 2 new superpowers emerged:
  
  • USA/USSR
  • Containment/communism new big issue in modern world
    
    • Imperialistic struggle becoming inc. insignificant
• Br clearly not in touch w/ current issue/changes in post-war world
  
  • To appeal to electorate, Macmillan keen to change by discarding colonial policy -> grant independence!
• Suez effective in highlighting old-fashioned, out-dated empire in new world!