Section Four-Colonial Policy and Administration

Question 1

How did colonial policy change in the post-war years?

Answer 1

• Despite loss of India, Burma and Palestine, there was still belief Britain’s future prosperity lay in trade with Empire and Commonwealth rather than with Europe
• Felt Empire was important in re-establishment of Britain’s ‘Great Power’ status

Question 2

What new role did colonial administrators take on due to these policy changes?

Answer 2

• They were required to raise colonial production and modernise economies at speed
• They thus took on an aggressive edge; their task above all was to protect trading commodities, guard vital supplies and destroy insurgents

Question 3

What did Britain have to do to colonies in order to exact these changes on them?

Answer 3

• They had to give less power instead of more e.g. In Kenya and Rhodesia Britain relied on devolving power to tribal chiefs however this was no longer practical
• Local chieftains cast aside and British colonial officials had to fall back on own monopoly of force

Question 4

What was the ‘wind of change’ and what did it show?

Answer 4

• Speech by Harold Macmillan in 1960 which stated that Britain would grant independence to its African territories
• Showed shift in Conservative thinking and signalled Britain’s intention to withdraw from its colonies