What part did economic factors play in the development of the British Empire: 1947-1967

Question 1

Pre-60s Britain

Answer 1

Pre-60s Britain was reliant on the Commonwealth for trade, providing essential imports for food and raw material

Question 2

Most imports went to the Empire pre-60s however this changed going into the 60s:

Answer 2

1948 - 44.9% of British imports were from the Commonwealth

1954 - 48.3% of British imports were from the Commonwealth

1965 - 30.6% of British imports were from the Western Europe

Question 3

Most exports went to the Empire pre-60s however this too changed going into the 60s

Answer 3

1948 - 46.1% of British exports went to the Commonwealth

1954 - 48% of British exports went to the Commonwealth

1965 - 32.5% of British exports went to Western Europe

Question 4

Relationship with Europe

Answer 4

Britain rejected entrance to the EEC in 1957, choosing to focus on trade with the Commonwealth and set up the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) however Britain itself was rejected in 1963 and 1967 having attempted to join due to Western Europe’s increase in economy but joined in 1973 due to the sterling devaluation

Question 5

Rationing at home

Answer 5

Hit by WW2 so continued rationing at home, prioritised industrial production for export rather than domestic market

Question 6

Post war reconstruction

Answer 6

-Tried to develop productive and export capacities of the colonies due to dollar potential

-Used the Colonial Development Corporation (CDC) to coordinate major projects and develop self-sustaining agriculture, industry and trade

Question 7

Value of exports from British colonies:

Answer 7

1946 - £43.1 million from West Africa 1956 - £228.5 million from West Africa

1946 - £191.4 million from Asia
1956 -£815.1 million from Asia

1946 - £319.6 million total
1956 - £1485 million total

Question 8

Dollar potential success

Answer 8

Dollar potential was big in Malaya due to production of rubber and tin so there was no immediate independence, this led to communist attacks against against economic targets and a state of emergency being introduced in 1948

Question 9

Dollar potential failure

Answer 9

Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme:

In 1946 there was a shortage of cooking fats for Britain so they invested in Tanganyika to turn peanuts into groundnut oil however this failed following the schemes abandonment in 1951 which cost £49 million