Administration in India & Palestine

Administration in India, 1914-1947

Managing policy during and between the two world wars was an incredibly difficult job. Britain was forced to balance defence demands with tensions at home and in her colonies.

The creation of a dyarchy in India

In 1919, the Government of India Act created a ‘dyarchy’.
- This means that two authorities shared rule and that a limited number of Indian people (7 million) could vote on provincial representatives for themselves.

The Simon Commission

Between 1929 and 1930, the Simon Commission was set up.
- It was designed to review the 1919 Act and make recommendations.

Round Table Conferences

Between 1930 and 1931, India and Britain negotiated at the Round Table Conferences.

Expanding the franchise in India

The Government of India Act of 1935 was passed by Parliament in Britain.
- This act created the Reserve Bank of India (a separate Indian central bank).
- It ended dyarchy and gave provinces more autonomy from the British government in Westminster.
- Direct elections were introduced and the number of people with the franchise in India grew fivefold to 35 million.

Indian Independence

By the end of WW2, it was clear that negotiations were no longer possible and independence would be granted.
"In 1939 the Empire was seething with unrest. India and Egypt were full of nationalist turmoil" (Kitchen, 1996).
In 1940, Gandhi led Indians in a peaceful campaign of 'civil disobedience'. Although Gandhi supported the anti-Nazi war effort, India did not have its own democracy to defend against the Nazis. It was still under British rule.

Administration in Palestine 1914-1947

Managing policy during and between the two world wars was an incredibly difficult job. Britain was forced to balance defence demands with tensions at home and in her colonies.

The importance of Palestine

In 1914, Palestine was just east of Egypt, next to the Suez Canal. It connected Egypt with the Middle East and Asia overland.
The Suez Canal was one of the main reasons that Britain was interested in Egypt. Britain owned part of the Suez Canal and transporting goods through the Suez Canal meant that ships could sail from Britain to the Mediterranean to India through the Red Seas, without having to go around the whole of Africa.

Attempts to create a civil government in Palestine, 1920

In 1920, High Commissioner Herbert Samuel tried to set up a civilian government in Palestine. However, there was discord between the British government in the UK (which was more supportive of the Jewish cause) and the British civil servants in Palestine (who were more supportive of the Arab cause).
Between 1929 and 1931, tensions between Arabs and Jews rose in Palestine. There were recommendations that land purchases in Palestine were controlled.
Hitler's persecution of the Jews led to even more Jewish migration to Palestine. In 1931, 17% of the population of Palestine had been Jewish. By 1946, it had risen to 30%.

Maintaining control in Palestine

The Jewish population of Palestine rose from 150,000 in 1926 to 400,000 in 1936. The total population of Palestine was 1.2 million.
In 1937, the Peel Report recommended a partition as a solution to disorder in the region. However, Palestine's mandate status and resistance from the Arab population of Palestine made this impossible.

Jewish immigration and rebellion

In 1939, Jewish immigration was limited to 15,000 a year for five years.
A terrorist organisation, the Stern Gang, led by Itzhak Shamir, began attacking British government offices and assassinated Lord Moyne, the British Minister for the Middle East in an attempt to force Britain to create a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

UN control

In 1947, the UN was given control of Palestine by the British government.
- The UN had been formed only 2 years prior to this.
The UN sought to partition Palestine into two independent states, one Jewish and one Arab, with Jerusalem remaining under international control.
The plan incited the first of many wars in Palestine, and ultimately the plan was not instated.

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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