Section 7 - History
0.0 / 5
- Created by: Ella Green
- Created on: 27-05-14 12:11
Britain's Imperial Possessions
- 19th Century = Age of Imperialism
- Britain ruled over the largest empire in the world
- Britain possessed = India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Malta, Mauritius, Seychelles, some Caribbean
- Aquired = Singapore, Malacca, Hong Kong, Burma and many more smaller territories
- Made a mad dash for what was left of vulnerable underdeveloped countries
- Bring more resources and markets
- New outlets for capital investment
- Between 1882 and 1900 = most of Africa was divided up among European Imperialist Nations
- Britain made the greatest gains of all in Africa, controlled Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Egypt, the Sudan ect.
- Pacfic = Britain took Fiji, parts of Borneo and New Guinea and other Islands
- 88 million subjects aded to the empire
- 1900 = Britain exercised authority oer a fifth of the world's land surface and a quater of its people
1 of 31
Britain and the British Empire
- Salisbury = 'Scramble for Africa'
- Saw value in possessing colonies, but he did not wish to expand the empire any further
- Britain occupied Egypt in 1882 to protect British trading interests
- Salisbury regarded this occupation as a burden
- One serious outcome had been the souring of relationships with France over their interests in the Suez Canal
- Salisbury = reluctant to spill British blood over any territorial disputes
- Found it necessary to intervene in order to protect British interests in Egypt and the Nile Valley
- Berlin Conference was held to monitor European countries' land aquisitions in Africa - avoid disputes
- Salisbury was signatory to several crucial agreements
- Decided on borders that were often difficult to define because of the inhospitable terrain and remoteness
- Italians and British = agreed on border between the Sudan and Eritrea
- British and the French = agreement on the control of Zanzibar and Madgascar
- Germans acknowledged British control of Zanziba, Kenya and Uganda
- Exchange for British recognition of the Cameroons, Tanganyika and German South West Africa
- European empire building in Africa had begun peacefully
- By 1890s = blood was shed to secure what little unclaimed territory remained
- Salisbury rarely sought confrontation
- He agreed to British consquest of the Sudan in order to remove a French threat
2 of 31
Britain and the British Empire
- Sudan = controlled by the Dervishes
- Constantly threatened Egypt but Britain was upset by suspected French interest in the Sudan
- 1898 = General Kitchener defeated the Dervishes at Omdurman and secured the Sudan for Britain
- Few days = French made claims on the Upper Nile
- Kitchener rapidly moved towards the French troops and threatened action
- French = humiliated and withdrew
- Russia could do nothing to help and the British navy was in a strong position in the Mediterranean
3 of 31
Joseph Chamberlain
- Salisbury's colonial secretary = Chamberlain
- Vision of the Empire that was more responsible for the fashion of Imperialism in the last two decades of the 1900s
- Believed that the way to overcome Britain's economic problems was to build up existing colonies and expand
- Increased trading opportunities with the empire = more jobs and less unemployment
- Encouraged joint-stock companies to invest in underdeveloped areas of the Empire
- Organised goverment loans to finance irrigation projects and railways
- Organised a Colonial Conference in 1897 - expressed desire to establish an empire customs union
- No success - but many of his policies were
- In tune with public opinion
- Inspired a sense of British pride and confidence in the Empire
- Salisbury allowed Chamberlain considerable freedom in dealing with Imperial issues
- Chamberlain oversaw the final conquest of the Sudan in 1898
- As well as expansion of influence in China and the involvement of Britain in the Boer War 1899-1902
4 of 31
Splendid Isolation
- Salisbury was responsible for conducting a policy of 'splendid isolation' during time as foreign secretary
- Expression is misleading
- Did not set out to separate Britain from any potential allies
- More to do with cautious policy of not getting involved in alliances that could lead Britain into war
- Maintaining this position gave Salisbury the reputation of being isolationist
- Salisbury was aware of Britain's lack of allies when he first entered office in 1885
- Few friends in Europe as a result of Gladstone's policies
- Gladstone had alienated France over Egypt, upset Turkey and Austria, and tensions were high between Britain and Russia over Afghanistan
- Approach to help mediate between Russia and Britain was turned down by Bismarck
- Salisbury regarded France as a threat to Britain's vital naval supremacy in the Med and the route through the Suez
- Suited Bismarck as he aimed to keep France isolated, unable to threaten Germany
- 1882 = Bismarck formed the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria and Italy
- Salisbury maintained a good relationship with the Alliance but always distanced
- Preferred Britain not to be constrained by the opposing interests of any country
5 of 31
Liberal Imperialism
- Focus of popular sentiment dring the 1880s
- Significant groups of leading Liberals were in favor of aligning party policy with this movement
- Unhappiness at the Liberal leadership's lack of engagement with the new popular mood
- A group within the party, led by Rosebery, styled themselves as Liberal Imperialists
- Rosebery believed in Imperial expansion in Africa
- Used British troops to subdue a revolt in Egypt by the Khedive and reimpose Britain's authority
- Became involved in a clash with the French over the annexation of Uganda and over-ruled Gladstone
- Rosebery's premiership was too short to pursue a strong Imperial policy and the Cabinet argued
- Anti-Imperialists were set against further colonial committments, particularly the future level of the British presence in Egypt - the issue soured relationships and created lasting hostilities within the party
- Campbell-Bannerman came to office = was hoped that Liberals could set aside their differences and achieve unity
- Outbreak of the Boer War ended these hopes and the Liberals split over support for the war
- Imperalists followed in support of the British position in the Transvaal
- Anti-Imperialists spoke out vigorously against the morality of the British response
- Bannerman missed the oppurtunity to impose firm leadership on his party
- Encouraged the Conservatives to hold an election in 1900 - Khaki Election
- Conservatives returned with a comfortable majority
6 of 31
Challenges posed to Britain by Russia, Germany and
Russia and Germany:
- Britain distrusted Russian Imperialism and disliked their autocratic government
- Close relationship was always unlikely
- Britain remained anxious over Russian ambitions in the Balkans and a possible naval presence in the Mediterranean
- Continuing issues with Russia over the security of India's North-West Frontier
- 1885 = Russian troops were gathering near the Zulficar pass in Afghanistan
- Salisbury took a firm line with Russia leaving the country in no doubt that Britain would fight to safeguard India
- Dispute was settled to Britain's satisfaction
- A serious international crisis occured within a few weeks in the Balkans that gave scope for Russian interference
- Eastern Rumelia united with Bulgaria in contravention of the terms of the Congress of Berlin
- Salisbury maintained a consistent position in support of Bulgaria
- Firm diplomacy avoided war and won Bismarck's respect
- Situation developed and Salisbury supported Germany and Austria in forcing Russia to back down from ambitions in the Balkans
- 1895 = Russia and France had signed a defensive alliance (1894) which was potentially dangerous for Britain
- Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy = Triple Alliance
- Britain looked isolated
7 of 31
Challenges posed to Britain by Russia, Germany and
- Bismarck = approached Salisbury in 1889 about a formal alliance but it was turned down
- Relations with Germany remained cordial until 1894
- British interests in China were threatened by both Russia and Germany in 1897
- Alarmed Britain with the possibility of the weak Chinese Empire being partitioned among the Europeans
- Did not wish to disturb 'open door' policy with China
- Allowed Britain lucrative to trading concessions
- Russia's bullying behaviour secured the lease of the ice free Port Arthur
- Germany obtained a lease of the near-by harbour at Kiao-Chau
- Britain protested and received ample compensation from the Chinese
- Salisbury successfully eased tension by making an agreement between Russia, Germany and France to recognise clearly defined spheres of influence in China
- Nature of Britain and Germany's relationship changed after 1894
- Kaiser took every oppotunity to make trouble for Britain (Kruger Telegram)
- Irritated that Britain would not join the Triple Alliance
- Chamberlain tried to form an alliance in 1898 = came to nothing
- Germany did not want to risk war with Russia over its trading position in China
- Drove Britain towards improving relations with France
- Britain disturbed by Navy Bill and opening of Kiel Canal in Germany - threat to Britain's empire and trading routes
- Time was coming to find reliable allies
8 of 31
Challenges posed to Britain by Russia, Germany and
The Boers:
- Rivalry between Dutch Boers and British Colonists long before 'Scramble for Africa'
- The Transvaal won independence in 1881
- Uneasy relationship between Britain and the Boers had continued in spite of this
- Situation became more complicated with the discovery of gold in the Transvaal in 1886
- Gold transformed the economy of the Transvaal
- Gave their president (Kruger) ideas to expand its border
- Came into direct conflict with Rhodes - PM of Cape Colony (British South Africa)
- Rhodes had plans for British domination of Africa, with a railway running from Cape Town to Cairo entirely through British territory
- Prospectors poured into the Transvaal at the discovery of gold
- Uitlanders (outsiders) were disproportionately taxed and denied political rights by Kruger
- Rhodes stirred up the Uitlanders with the objective of overthrowing Kruger
- Kaiser congratulated Kruger in a telegram for defending his country against British aggression
- Kruger continued to stockpile British amendments
- Meeting between Kruger and Milner failed to address Uitlander grievances and British troops moved in
- Ultimatum from the Boers for the British to stand down was rejected
- Boers attacked Cape Colony and Natal
9 of 31
Challenges posed to Britain by Russia, Germany and
- Boer War lasted from 1899 to 1902
- Boers were defeated when the British won control of the Transvaal gold mines and absorbed the Boer republics by the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902
- Both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State were incorporated into the union of SA in 1910
- War carried several important implications for Britain
- Socially, economically and politically
- Began to lose public support in Britain
- Cost = £200m
- 20,000 lives lost
- Too high a price to pay
- Many turned away from Conservativism and the pride of Imperialism
- Boer War highlighted British isolation
- Most European countries supported the Boer cause
- Salisbury resigned in 1902
- Imperative for Britain to seek and to be prepared to be committed to new alliances and bring to a close the long period of 'splendid isolation'
10 of 31
Changes in the British Economy, 1886-1901
- Occured during the last years of the 19th century
- Contemporary view = Britain was suffering from a long-term depression from 1873-1896
- Periods of marked downturns in the economy
- Competition from foreign markets
- Fall in demand for British goods in the European and American markets
- Prices and profts tumbled in both industry and agriculture
- Eroded confidence in Britain's economy supremacy
- Prices fell steadily and then picked up again in the 1890s as the gold mining boom in South Africa gave a boost to the economy
- Late 1890s = return to economic prosperity and a period of affluence
- 1885 = Salisbury set up a Royal Commission to inquire into the depression
- Concluded that agricultural prices had been falling since 1873 and continued the downward trend - noted an increase in production, but supply often outstripped demand
- Led to a reduction in profits, a fall in prices and lower rates of interest/capital
- Issues were related to foreign competition but there were encouraging signs for the future
- Businessmen were concerned with profits - less money for capital investment
- Employers had little alternative but to pay off their workforce
- 1886 unemployment = 10%
- Much hardship and a sense of depression created
11 of 31
Changes in the British Economy, 1886-1901
- However, for most of the period, unemployment remained at 5%
- Falling profits and increased competition led to increasing unemployment
- 1873-1896 = 30-40% drop in price levels of commodities
- Price of imports fell more than the price of exports
- Beneficial shift in terms of trade for Britain
- 1900 = Britain imported 50% of its foodstuffs and much of its raw materials
- Benefitted from low import prices
- Wages did not fall - as long as a man could stay in his jb, he benefited from lower prices
- Significant rise in the standard of living for Britain
- Industrial output continued to grow throughout this period
- Rate of growth did slow - not unreasonable after a long time of economic expansion
- Britain still relied heavily on its staple industiries
- Output and exports increased in all of these industries
- Marked rise in the level of British imports, as a better standard of living led to an increase in the import of foodstuffs from overseas - detrimental effect on Britain's visible trade balance
- Apperance of many new, smaller industries - chocolate, soap, tobacco ect.
- William Lever = started soap manufacturing business in 1886
12 of 31
Changes in the British Economy, 1886-1901
- In order for businesses to grow = capital was needed
- Men raised capital by offering limited liability shares in companies
- Led to a rise in the number of large joint-stock companies
- Many formed giant corporations like the Imperial Tobacco Company
- Led to a change in the market for consumer goods
- Growing population gave rise to a mass market in consumer goods
13 of 31
Overseas Challenges
- Most crucial change int he economy was economic global expansion
- 1880s = world economy involved a growing number of countries
- Britain was no longer the only industrial economy
- Britain was facing stiff competition from Europe and America
- Britain's two most formidable opponents = America and Germany
14 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Population Growth and Immigration:
- Population expansion of America and Germany gave both countries a large labour force
- Ready home market for manufactured goods
- Germany had a larger population than Britain and was growing at a fast rate
- Germany in 1880 = 45 million
- Germany in 1900 = 56 million
- European immigrants flooded into America during this period
- America in 1880 = 50 million
- America in 1901 = 77 million
- Largely immigrant American population were hard working
- Many arrived in America with few possessions and seeking a better life
- Vested interest in building a great nation and threw all of their energy and resources into it
15 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Vast untrapped natural resources:
- America and Germany both possessed vast quantities of coal and iron ore
- Enabled them to forge ahead of Britain in steel manufacture
- 1890 = America had exceed Britain
- 1896 = Germany had exceed Britain
- 1899 = America had overtaken Britain in coal output
- Competed successfully in engineering and the production of machinery and armaments
- America = railroads carried raw materials to factories and finish products to towns
- Diminishing Britain's share of the world export market
16 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Political Stability:
- Germany had become one nation in 1871
- Grmany unified under the strong leadership of Otto von Bismarck
- 1886 = pursuing expansionist policies in industry and empire
- America had recovered from the effects of the Civil War by 1865
17 of 31
Overseas Challenges
- Britain's response to this new competition was too complacent
- Perhaps slow to respond and too set in ways to make needed changes
- Allowed America and Germany to get ahead quickly
- A number of factors contributed to this
18 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Britain's outdated equipment and processes:
- 1880s = machinery and production methods were out of date
- Reluctance to invest capital in the new modern machinery
- Both manufactured and used in America and Germany
19 of 31
Overseas Challenges
British Government's lack of investment in technical education:
- Germans had invested money in education, especially technical colleges
- Resulted in better educated workforce with a range of skills
- Undertook vital research in new fields of electrical engineering, chemicals and motors
- British government failed to make adequate investment in education and scientific and technological research, and Britain feel behind Germany
20 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Introduction of Protective Tariffs by Overseas Competitiors:
- Europe and America introduced tariff reform
- Damaging to Britain's export trade and industrial protection
- 1870 = British goods made 1/3 of the world's manufacturing output
- Tariffs imposed made British products more expensive and less competitive
- Britain's share in the market fell
- Germany imposed duties of 13% on manufacturing goods in 1879
- America followed in 1890 and by 1900 their tariffs was raised to 57%
21 of 31
Overseas Challenges
Britain's Free Trade Policy:
- Britain stuck with its free trade principles
- The Fair Trade League formed in 1881 - demands for restructuring trade policy
- League was influential but neither Gladstone nor Salisbury would move on the issue
22 of 31
Overseas Challenges
- Britain's balance of payments remained in surplus during the years of the Great Depression
- Despite a fall in exports
- Balance of visible trade = value of imports - value of exports
- Invisible earnings come from services such as shipping, insurance and investments
- Surplus = thriving economy
23 of 31
Overseas Challenges
- Between 1886 and 1901 = Britain survived the challenge of foreign competition:
- 1880s = Britain was still the biggest exporter of industrial products and so did not believe it needed to worry
- The City of London became more important than ever in world economy
- Britain was the largest exporter of capital and of invisible trade
- Maintained surplus trade balance
- British shipping was still the largest in the world
- British merchant fleet represented about 1/3 of the total
- British ships still dominanted the world's shipping lanes
- Britain was the largest outlet for primary products such as tea, cane sugar and wheat
- Bought 50% of the world's meat exports
- 1900 = half of Britain's food was imprted
- Bonus = overseas producers like Argentina were happy to take British manufactured goods ine exchange for their primary produce
- British trade balance remained healthy duing this period
- Able to maintain dominant position in the world economy
- No longer claim supreme power
- Forced to seek new outlets for industrial goods and turned increasingly towards its empire
24 of 31
The Growth of New Unionism
- The 1880s saw a change in direction in the union movement
- Beginning of the organisation of unskilled workers
- Militant approach = striking was first line of attack
- Direct contrast to craft unions
- Subscriptions were low to allows for the workers' poor wage levels
- Large membership gave the unions funds to support strike action
- However, their funds did not make provision for welfare payments unlike craft unions
- Became known as mass unions
25 of 31
The Growth of New Unionism
- Number of reasons for the growth of 'new unionism'
- Uncertain economic climate of 1870-1880s
- Unskilled workers were often the first to be laid off
- High levels of unemployment made wage bargaining difficult and strikes ineffective
- Plenty of labour to take over from strikes
- Many had little choice to accept low pay
- Spread of education among the labouring class and the right to vote for unskilled workers boosted their confidence
- Trade unions achieved legal status in 1876
- Inevitable that the unskilled workers would seek the advantages gained by the craft unions by forming their own unions
- Leading socialists from the SDF held meetings outside factory gates to encourage workers to assert their rights
- Few high profile strikes by unskilled labour gave impetus to the new union movement
26 of 31
High Profile Strikes
Bryant & May Match Girls Stike - July 1888
- Female employees
- Strike for better conditions
- Captured public sympathy and ended in trumph at the end of two weeks
- Factory was in the London's east end
- Workforce was pulled from slum areas and was largely young female
- Enabled Bryant and May to keep down their wage bill
- Dipping sticks in yellow phosphorous to make matches was highly dangerous
- Often resulted in painful, disfiguring and fatal affliction
- 'Phossy Jaw'
- Annie Besant - leading socialist - helped to organise the strike and give it publicity
27 of 31
High Profile Strikes
Gas Workers' Union Strike - July 1889
- Will Thorne - member of the SDF - established a Gasworkers' and General Labourers Union in 1889
- Organised a strike to reduce the working day
- Demanding three 8 hour shifts instead of two 12 hour shifts
- Southern Metropolitan Gas Company immediately agreed
- Success provided an incidentive for other workers to organise unions
- Strike resulted in better pay and conditions for all workers in gas, water and electricity
- Workforce was regarded as specialist
- Won union recognition and an ability to pursue collective bargaining
28 of 31
High Profile Strikes
Dockers' Strike - August 1889
- Work was irregular and poorly paid
- Pay = 5d an hour
- Too many were avaliable for 'call-on'
- Hung around for a half a day with no work or a couple of hours
- Depression in trade caused competition between London dock companies
- Strike began when bonus' were cut in order to offer a lower rate to ship owners
- The West India Dock wokers came out on strike
- No funds to strike pay but were supported by other dock trades
- Port was brought to a standstill
- Main strike demand was a wage of 6d an hour - the dockers' tanner
- Wanted the 'plus' system to be abolished, union recognition and to be taken on for a minimum of four hours a day
- Strike committee organised mass meetings and and established pickets outside gates
- Strike went on for five weeks and the employers were convinced hunger would bring them back
- £30,000 was sent by union supporters from Australia
- Saved the day for London dockers - able to negotiate the ending of the strike
- Demands were met
- Gerna Labourers' Union was formed with a 30,000 strong membership
29 of 31
The Importance of the Strikes
- Demonstrated that they could no longer be ignored or exploited without a struggle
- Public sympathy for strikers
- Success gave confidence to other unskilled workers to form unions
- Huge boost to the concept of new unionism
- Strengthened the position of the trade union movement as a whole
- Strong message to th establishment and society regarding the right of all workers to fair and decent wages for a job done
- A long struggle was ahead to gain full acceptance of this concept
30 of 31
A difficult decade for New Unionism
- Respect and sympathy won from the establishment quickly disappeared
- The union leaders led a number of unsuccessful strikes, mostly among dock workers
- Wanted to establish 'closed shop'
- Employers would not accept the closed shop and organised police protection for non-union labour whom they preferred to employ - Hull docks strike in 1893
- Employers' federations were formed
- Drew up registers of nn-union workers and coordinated lock-outs to defeat strikes
- Blackleg labour was often used
- New mass unions had yet the grasp their potential political importance
- 1900 = trade union membership stood at over 2 million out of 38 million
- 11% of the total workforce - very few belonged to mass unionism
- Marked the beginning of a close alliance between the Trade Union Movement and the Socialist Movement which produced the Labour Party
31 of 31
Similar History resources:
1.0 / 5 based on 4 ratings
0.0 / 5
5.0 / 5 based on 1 rating
3.0 / 5 based on 2 ratings
0.0 / 5
0.0 / 5
0.0 / 5
Comments
No comments have yet been made