'The most important reason for the pursuit of imperialism from 1880 to 1902 was that it could be exploited politically.' How far do you agree?

Authors Avatar

‘The most important reason for the pursuit of imperialism from 1880 to 1902 was that it could be exploited politically.’ How far do you agree?

        There can be no doubt that by the latter stages of Victorian Britain, the issue of imperialism was becoming an increasingly important political weapon. Election campaigns were lost and won based upon attitudes to the Empire, with Gladstone’s Liberal victory on the back of his 1880 Midlothian Campaign being one key example where the public appeared to be ‘turned-off’ by Empire. During this period the notion of imperialism became even more popular than before, with the media and popular culture both elevating Imperialism as a concept which would have massive benefits for the masses. In this sense it therefore became crucial for political parties to seize upon imperialism and use it as a vote winning tool. However, the working classes remained largely uninterested by news of land grabbing conquest in South Africa and victories over small indigenous tribes only alerted them for a short space of time. Hence, whilst imperialism became more and more of a political tool it is difficult to argue that its use as a vote-winning tactic was the most important reason for its pursuit, with the imperatives of old as crucial as ever.

Join now!

        The fact that the Conservatives, the most pro-Empire party of all the parties, dominated politics during 1880 to 1902, under the leadership of Disraeli who had set out this pro-Empire agenda at the Crystal Palace and Manchester speeches of 1872, can be seen to indicate that imperialism was having more effect on the electorate. This in turn suggests that political parties would begin to maintain the pursuit of imperialism increasingly to satisfy the voters. The Khaki Election of 1900, won by Lord Salisbury’s Unionist government is perhaps the best example where imperialism was best exploited politically. The campaign derived its ...

This is a preview of the whole essay