ALDRED BY PETER, WILLIAM, THOMAS, ANDREW VS MCDONOUGH

ECONOMIC COST & BENEFIT ALDRED  By 1914 over 1/3 of British exports went to the Empire.  Imperial trade became more and more important to Britain's economic survival between WWI and WWII.  The Empire brought work back to its people in particular the British working class.  Defence cost were a key issue.  Empire was no longer relevant and became too costly to maintain.  Britain had emerged from the war facing huge and with an Empire less stable than it has been at any other time.  Empire encouraged preferential trade agreements with Britain and it colonies.

ECONOMIC COST & BENEFIT MCDONOUGH  Between 1903 and 1914 British exports to the empire increased by 32%, imports from the Empire increased by 31%, British trade with Africa doubled, and 42% of all British overseas investment went to the Empire.

ROUND 1… ALDRED!!  Aldred wins the first round as although they have similar ideas on Economic cost and benefits, Aldred goes into more detail and explains the effects on Britain and its people.

MILITARY/STRATEGIC COSTS & BENEFITS ALDRED  The British empire was defended by the worlds largest navy and in India alone, 340,000 troops.  The geographic spread of the Empire demanded an expensive naval defence system.  The danger of a aggressive rivalry from Germany became a serious problem by the start of the 20 th century.  Considerable anti-imperialist reaction followed the brutal suppression of the revolt of the Matabele in Rhodesia (1893-4)  Cecil Rhodes: “thoroughly thrashing the natives and giving them an everlasting lesson.”

MCDONOUGH STUNNED AS ALDRED GIVES HIM NO TIME TO REPLY  McDonough doesn't really mention Military/Strategic costs and so Aldred clearly takes this round.

INTERNATIONAL STANDING ALDRED  The scale of the empire was a ever present measure of Britain's status as a great power.  By 1918 Britain’s status as great power and the assumption that world power was centred in Europe had been undermined.  International opposition to Britain’s methods in the Boer war weakened the support for Imperialism at home.  This international opposition discredited Imperialism within the Liberal Party.

INTERNATIONAL STANDING MCDONOUGH  The Boer War “had jeopardised the entire wealth of the nation in rousing strong resentment of other nations for no real gain”- J.A.Hobson  The idea that Britain was the “world’s policeman” who could be called upon in an emergency… was deeply weakened  The High moral tone Britain had struck in its diplomatic relations since the mid-nineteenth century rang hollow after the Concentration camps of the Boer War.  Britain sought diplomatic agreements with imperial rivals anywhere she could find them.

ROUND 3!! ITS TOUGH BUT MCDONOUGH TAKES IT  McDonough takes this round as he differs in his views to Aldred. He seems to suggest that Britain's problems were becoming much more serious whereas Aldred doesn’t see these problems as seriously.

POPULAR SUPPORT FOR EMPIRE ALDRED  The Middle classes were avid supporters of the Empire. The working class less so, and were generally interested in the issues closer to home.  The 1900 general election (khaki election) resulted in a Conservative victory… It appeared that popular support lay with the government that took Britain to war with the Boers.  However… “There was considerable media coverage of the brutality of the war.”  Many working class voters rejected pro-war candidates in the 1900 election.  Many working class volunteered for military service not because they wished to show Patriotism and support the British empire… because they faced unemployment and poverty at home

POPULAR SUPPORT FOR EMPIRE MCDONOUGH  The Boer War really marks the dividing line between the passionate imperialism of late-Victorian England and the loss of self-confidence in Britain about its future that has typified the twentieth century.  Before the war the worst motive attributed to supporters of imperialism was excessive patriotism. Imperialism could even be seen as a “positive mission” designed to bring civilisation

ALDREDS DETAIL TAKES HIM FURTHER AHEAD  Aldred comes away with this round as he goes into more detail as to why popular support is weakened. McDonough talks more about popular support before the war however doesn’t explain in as much detail.

POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR EMPIRE ALDRED  In many respects the Empire brought enhanced stability to the British political system through a developed perception of national identity and national pride  By 1901 Britain was spending twice as much as Germany and French on imperial defence.  Protection of the empire was a primary objective of British foreign policy in the late nineteenth century.  Empire was too costly to maintain and it was impossible for Britain to ignore, or accommodate, the ever rising tide of nationalism.

POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR EMPIRE MCDONOUGH  “the Empire is heled together by a silken cord; twist this cord into a whiplash and a crack of the lash would be the death knell of the empire”- Liberal Colonial Minister  Britain sought diplomatic agreements with imperial rivals anywhere she could find them.

ROUND 5 TIED!  Although Aldred explains foreign policy and mentions nationalism in regards to the Empire McDonough manages to hang on with a devastating quote that levels him with Aldred. Aldreds devastating counter brings him right back into the round.

DOES THE BOER WAR MARK A TURNING POINT IN THE PERIOD ALDRED  Aldred believes that the turning point for the British empire came with the First World War.  The high watermark of anti-imperialism came with the second Boer War and this graphically illustrates the a scale of opposition by  Political Consensus between the major parties on the “new imperialism” had evaporated with impact of the Boer War.

DOES THE BOER WAR MARK A TURNING POINT IN THE PERIOD MCDONOUGH The Boer war was clearly one of those rare turning points in the history of the empire between 1815 and 1914 It cast a giant shadow over British attitudes of the empire and imperial defence…many contemporaries viewed it as the first nail in the coffin of the British empire

ALDRED 5 – MCDONOUGH 2  McDonough loses this round to Aldreds explaining yet again and also to the clarity of his work. The game goes to Aldred!!! Remember though this was just a bit of…