British Civilization

BRITISH CIVILIZATION S2

Citizens advice

The british empire and commonwealth

From the 17th to the 20th century, GB was the most powerful empire. “The British Empire was acquired in a fit of absent mindedness”. It occupied 1 quarter of the earth. The Empire expanded widely over the years especially with the expanding American colonies in the 17th century and the 18th century but with the American Revolution, Britain lost lot of them. A large part of her navy and army was developed to maintain her trading and colonizing position in Asia, Africa, and America. From the end of the Dutch war of the 17th century to the Scramble for Africa (annexation of African territories by European powers) in the late 19th century, Britain's world power status became increasingly linked with her maritim supremacy and colonial security. In the 20th century and more particularly since the end of the WWII, Britain's economic strength and international power have declined while power of the USA, Germany, USSR, Japan & China increased a lot. During this period of decline, most of Britain's colonies became independent. Often historians divide the empire in 2 parts:

From 1583 to 1783: The 1st British empire or the old British empire: the 1st british colonies were created in the Caribbeans and adopted the slavery system created by Portuguese in Brazil. Then the 1st permanent colonies in America were created in 1607 by John Smith and Virginia became in 1624 the 1st colony. In 1660, Jamaica became a colony. In 1664, all the lands between Maryland & Connecticut were annexed by the king. In 1688, the king had a hand in creating the dominion of New England, which laced under a single governor, Rhode Island, NY, Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Massachussetts, and New Hampshire. Georgia was controlled by a board of trustees until it became a royal colony and Nova Scotia taken by France in 1700 was mainly a military outpost. By the end of the 17th century, the empire had evolved and it was highly centralized and designed to supervise the trade of the colonies. Perhaps that Britain's relationship with India best illustrates the many strands of power and influence that made up the Old empire. In 1600, the East India Company was created to participate in the Spice Trade but for this trade there was a competition between Britain and Holland but after the 1688 glorious revolution Holland let the Spice Trade to Britain and quickly the British company got the upper hand on the Dutch one. Progressively, with the break-up of the Mogul Empire and the rivalry with France that provoked wars that Britain won, the company became the predominant trading and military power of the region. India has been considered as the most profitable colony for Britain and thanks to it the empire became the most powerful in the world. The loss of the 13 colonies marked the 1st sign of decline of the empire. This loss had a direct and indirect effect on colonial policy and thinking for the next half century. Over the long term, the loss came to be seen as advantageous as colonial assets were increasingly viewed as expensive.

From 1783 to 1914: the 2nd British empire or the modern British empire, in the empire there were 5 type of territories.

The companies: private companies that set up their own colonies as private commercial, they had the right to settle their own company thanks to paying back the monarch. It was a cheap and easy way for the monarch to gain an income. The monarch could give the permissions to the company through royal charter to exploit the natural sources. Neither the monarch nor the company had to get involved in the administration, the governance of those countries.

The colonies: these areas were directly ruled by the governor not necessarily a british one; British governed thanks to indirect rules relying on local authorities. These territories were the most common in the Empire.

The protectorate: a territory where the ld local rulers continued to rule concerning domestic affairs.

The dominion: territories which had a significant freedom with for example its own government, own election. The British sovereign remained the head of the state.

Mandates: set up after WWI after the dismantlement of the Turkish empire and the German defeat. Those territories were past to Britain and France to prepare them for their self-government on behalf of league of nation.

Through the 19th century, two broad views of empire could be delineated. After the granting of dominion status to canada in 1867 and the removal of garrisons from New-Zealand in 1869, many feared that britain would dismember her colonial possessions. Two schools of thoughts emerged and can be split into the voluntarists and the federationists.

The first school epitomized by the liberal pm, Gladstone saw the dominion as a way forward for the empire, a way for the empire to continue. He said “Govern them upon the principle of freedom, let them not feel any yoke upon their neck, let them understand that the relations between you and them are relations of affections”

The second school which was a mixture of idealistic, strategic, economic and political considerations was epitomized by the conservative Disraeli, who made a famous speech in 1872 at Chrystal palace where he associated the Conservatives with the cause of imperial union or of federatino advocatnig the establishment of a federal union among different points of the British empire, the speech is going to associate the conservative party with the defense of the Empire.

Little by little, the empire declined, in 1924, Britain held a high exhibition to celebrate power and opportunities within the Empire, on paper, the Empire was at its zenith but in reality, it wasn't the case.

In 1917, the word of Commonwealth is used for the 1st time. There's the suggestion that the Empire became the British Commonwealth Of Nation. This change of name was ratified in the 1922 treaty of London which established the Commonwealth would be a free and rather loose association of 3 types of territories headed by the queen:

Sovereign independent states: the full members of the CW (member de plein droit)

Dependant territories as colonies and protectorates

Small countries that chose to continue their connection with British and enjoy the functional benefits of membership instead of attaching themselves to neighboring countries. As special members of the CW and they have no representation at the meetings of heads of government. This CW is a way for Britain to preserve a degree of British predominance in the world.

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