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Decolonisation Attitudes of the British Government

Explore the changing attitudes of the British government towards decolonisation over time and the impact it had on the process. Analyze the views of different political parties and their influence on decolonisation.

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Decolonisation Attitudes of the British Government

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  1. Did the British government want to decolonise? C aim – to explain how the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation changed over time B aim – to explain why the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation changed over time A/A* aim – to explain why and the impact of the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation over time This shows you the titles of offices looking after colonial matters. What do these titles show you about decolonisation?

  2. New Divider! • Did the British want to decolonise? • Government and public attitudes, Kenya • Periphery, metropole, attitudes, causes

  3. “The strategy adopted by the Labour party was one of unified and distanced opposition to colonialism. It accelerated decolonisation.” • Do you agree?

  4. Attitudes are positive Attitudes are negative

  5. Labour 1945-1951 • What would they traditionally think of imperialism? • Why did they support it from 1945-1951? • Bevin • ‘More completely than ever before economics and empire had come together’ • Cripps said “we should increase out of all recognition the tempo of African economic development....boosting production of anything....that will save dollars or will sell in a dollar market”. • Groundnuts and Tanganyika. • It was estimated that the colonies could provide an extra 400,000 troops for the army.

  6. Conservatives 1951-1964 • 1951 “strong and free” colonial policy as part of the election campaign • There were tensions in the Conservatives. Who were they between? • The preferentialists – who wanted closer economic integration over free trade, the Suez group who didn’t want Britain to pull out of Suez, and the white-settler lobby who became known as the Monday Club • From 1954 older imperialist Tories were marginalised as they failed to economically unify the colonies, prevent withdrawal from Egypt or decolonisation of Cyprus

  7. Labour in opposition 1951-1964... • Fenner Brockway and Tony Benn started the Movement for Colonial Freedom. They tried to show the Conservatives at backward looking racists. • It is questionable how much influence they had on the leaders • Form 1956 Labour campaigned on ‘one man one vote’ in Eastern and southern Africa and criticised the Conservatives for holding onto outdated concepts of multiracialism. • However, in 1961, Callaghan said that the party was committed to supporting British interests in Africa and creating a African dominion in East and Central Africa

  8. Conservatives 1951-1964 • 1959 election – new younger Tories entered parliament, including Macmillan and Macleod who appeared to accept Labour’s pragmatic approach to decolonisation and introduce black-majority rule and depart from multiracialism. Macmillan’s wind of change speech contributed to this. This kept the older imperialist ‘die-hards’ happy as they felt that ‘decolonisation was the continuation of empire by other means’. • What came from above went as the Tories were very hierarchical. The preference for political rather than military solutions led to a blurring of lines on colonialism. • It was hoped that the Commonwealth would ‘remain part of a great British-cenrted world system’ where the countries would continue the ideals that Britain had installed in them.

  9. Wind of Change Speech • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx0sxm9VTs8 • What is the message of this speech? • How would this speech affect decolonisation?

  10. Labour 1964-1970 • Traditionalist Labour • Wanted Britain to remain a world power, linked by the Commonwealth • “One man one vote” on election campaigns • Couldn’t say no to nationalism

  11. “The strategy adopted by the Labour party, one of unified and distanced opposition to colonialism, speeded decolonisation”. • Do you agree? Are there any other factors?

  12. How did attitudes change over time? Did the British government want to decolonise? C aim – to explain how the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation changed over time B aim – to explain why the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation changed over time A/A* aim – to explain why and the impact of the British government’s attitudes towards decolonisation over time How did these views affect decolonisation? Why did political parties have their particular viewpoints?

  13. Homework – Due Thursday • read the chapter on Conservative attitudes and add detail to your graphs. • Research the treatment of the Mau Mau in Kenya by the British. Write down three key things to tell the class.

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