Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

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Attitudes of the British Government up to the 1870s

Prior to the 1870s, the government took no decisive stance on imperialism.

Reasons for passive approach

The British Government took neither an active nor interventionist approach for a variety of reasons:
- Communication technology was limited to the telegraph (invented in 1844) and the letter.
- The Companies' actions were thousands of miles from Whitehall and Parliament. There was no internet and only weak means of transmitting information.
- Commercial strength gained by defeating the colonial ambitions of France, Germany, and the Netherlands suited the British government.
- The belief in Adam Smith's invisible hand, free markets, and anti-interventionism as an economic ideology. This was so strong that governments would not intervene in famines in India and Ireland as they would create 'moral hazard' and inhibit free markets.

Attitudes in the Conservative Party

Disraeli believed "those wretched colonies will all be independent in a few years and they are all a mill-stone around our necks.’’ (1852).

Attitudes in the Liberal Party

Gladstone promised to "abstain from any territorial acquisition".
When Gladstone became Prime Minister, he appointed Lord Ripon as Viceroy of India and Ripon gave Indian local governments more power and reduced censorship in India.
The Liberal Party 'never shared Joseph Chamberlain's enthusiasm for tropical colonies' according to Kitchen (1996).

Resisting calls for expansion

In 1865, the Parliamentary Select Committee recommended Britain withdraw from its West African settlements. This was because they were considered too costly.
However, in 1884, Goldie was still able to get a charter from Parliament for his company in Niger.

Attitudes of the British Government after the 1870s

The attitudes within the government were marked by the personal and political rivalries of Disraeli and Gladstone, whose contrasting approaches to expansion often left policies appearing rather muddled.

Shift in attitudes

From the 1870s onwards, the British government adopted more imperialist policies.
Key reasons for this include:
- Responding to the ambitions of Germany and France and the associated economic competition.
- The long depression of the 1870s-1890s that meant foreign export markets became more attractive.
- The difficulty of exporting manufactured goods to the Western Hemisphere due to European and American protection tariffs.
- The increased poor conduct of chartered companies forcing intervention or taking control of protectorates.

Disraeli and the Conservatives

Disraeli was the Prime Minister in 1868 and 1874-1880.
- He was Jewish by birth but converted to Christianity.

Disraeli's imperialism

His actions reflect a pro-imperialist stance:
- In 1872, he asserted that the Conservatives were the ‘Party of Empire’ at the Crystal Palace Speech.
- In 1875, he secured a private loan from the Rothschild family to purchase £4 million worth of Suez Canal shares.
- In 1877, he named Queen Victoria the Empress of India, annexed the Boer republic and sent General Gordon into Sudan.
- In 1878, he annexed Afghanistan.

Gladstone and the Liberals

Gladstone became Prime Minister in 1880 after a resounding victory over Conservatives.
- In total, he was Prime Minister between 1868-1874, 1880-1885 and 1892-1894.
He was highly critical of Disraeli’s policies, often arguing that he was forced to ‘pick up the pieces’.
Gladstone is often remembered as a ‘reluctant imperialist’ and Gladstone thought that India should be run for the good of Indian people, rather than the British.
- His actions reflect an inconsistent attitude towards British expansion.

Gladstone and imperialism

In 1881, Gladstone refused to commit further troops, time or money to the Boer conflict after the defeat at Majuba Hill.
In 1882, he sent British troops into Egypt to suppress Arabi Pasha’s uprising in Alexandria that saw 50 Europeans killed.
In 1884, he withdrew Anglo-Egyptian troops after the Mahdist Rebellion in Sudan.
Between 1884 and 1885, he represented British interests at the Berlin Conference.
In 1886, he introduced the Home Rule Bill for Ireland.

1High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914

1.1Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890

1.1.1Empires over Time

1.1.2Key Questions About Empires

1.1.3Expansion into Africa

1.1.4History of Egypt

1.1.5Control of Egypt

1.1.6Control of Sudan

1.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890

1.2.1The British Empire & India

1.2.2The British Raj

1.2.3International Relations with other Powers

1.2.4Scramble for Africa

1.2.5The Informal Empire

1.3Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890

1.3.1Trade & Commerce in the Empire

1.3.2Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce

1.3.3Products of Trade & Commerce

1.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890

1.4.1Explorers

1.4.2Missionaries

1.4.3Traders & Colonial Administrators

1.4.4Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

1.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890

1.5.1Relations with India

1.5.2Relations with South Africa

1.5.3British-Boer Relations

2Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914

2.1Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914

2.1.1Consolidation & Expansion into Africa

2.1.2Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa

2.1.3Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa

2.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914

2.2.1Policy in India

2.2.2Policy in Egypt

2.2.3Native Policy in Colonies

2.2.4International Relations with Other Powers

2.3Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914

2.3.1The Benefits of Trade

2.3.2Costs of the Empire

2.3.3Debates Over Trade

2.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

2.4.1Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes

2.4.2Key Administrators - Baring & Milner

2.4.3Key Administrators - Curzon

2.4.4Government Attitudes to the Empire

2.4.5National Efficiency & the Boer War

2.4.6Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism

2.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914

2.5.1Challenges in India

2.5.2Challenges in Africa

2.5.3Challenges in South Africa

2.5.4Historical Interpretations of the Boer War

2.5.5Relations & Business with Iran

3Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967

3.1Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947

3.1.1Impact of WW1

3.1.2Palestine

3.1.3Ireland & WW1

3.1.4Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

3.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947

3.2.1Administration in India & Palestine

3.2.2Administration in Iraq & the Dominions

3.2.3Imperial Defence

3.3Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War

3.3.1Economic Impact of WW1

3.3.2Inter-War Trade & Commerce

3.3.3Economic Impact of WW2

3.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

3.4.1Colonial Administrators

3.4.2Trusteeship

3.4.3Gandhi

3.4.4Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow

3.4.5Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins

3.4.6Imperialist Ideals

3.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947

3.5.1Ireland & India 1914-1947

3.5.2The Middle East and Africa

4The Wind of Change, 1947-1967

4.1Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967

4.1.1Reasons for Decolonisation

4.1.2Decolonisation in East & West Africa

4.1.3Decolonisation in Central & South Africa

4.1.4Decolonisation in Asia

4.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967

4.2.1Relations & Business with Iran after WW2

4.2.2The 'Winds of Change'

4.2.3The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956

4.2.4International Relations 1947-1967

4.3Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967

4.3.1The Economic Impact of WW2

4.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967

4.4.1Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

4.4.2Local Leaders in the Independence Movement

4.4.3Pan-Africanism in Nationalism

4.5Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967

4.5.1Windrush & Immigration

4.5.2Commonwealth Immigrants Act

4.5.3Residual Impact of the Empire

4.6Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967

4.6.1Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947

4.6.2Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising

4.6.3Nigeria & Rhodesia

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