Motivated primarily by material greed. How accurate is this verdict on the British empire?

University Degree Historical and Philosophical studies

‘Motivated primarily by material greed’. How accurate is this verdict on the British empire?

This verdict that the expansion and establishment of the British empire was motivated primarily by material greed is very accurate as trade, plunder and defence were all stimulated by financial thus material. Also these were the main factors which influenced the rise of the empire, above other factors such as mission, glory and politics, which were only secondary factors.

The desire to expand and protect Britain’s commercial interests highlights how important material greed was as a motive. A prime example is British trading policy, as a speech by Lord Salisbury states that the motive for the British trading with “half-civilized or uncivilized nations”_ was because they could be more easily exploited than “civilized powers”_ such as Germany, the second most economical country in the world in the 19th century. Marketing to these countries was also described as bringing “new responsibilities of empire”_, thus parliament was encouraged by Lord Salisbury, to believe that it was in Britain’s best interest to annex or occupy countries, such as Egypt who they were trading with, thus the British Empire was motivated primarily by material greed. Another example which supports the viewpoint that this was the primary motive is the annexation on India into the empire. India, know as the ‘jewel in the crown’ was the most economical colony in the empire due to it’s raw materials such as diamonds. Stair Dalrymple’s letter to his brother shows how India was annexed primarily for material greed as it states, “I may make a fortune”_ and “live like a gentlemen”_. Thus although many christian missionaries travelled to India in hope of converting the natives to the ‘true religion’ the main motive for the expansion was material greed. This motive is also shown to be the primary one ahead of religious mission by the actions of the British in North America as they were accused of “having cheated the simple inhabitants in trade”_ and not giving the native the “instruction in the true, living christianity”_ thus the trade of tobacco and materials for building wooden ships overtakes religion as a motive for the building of the empire. Another way in which material greed is shown to be the primary motive is through the importance of finance, HN Brailsford’s account of the war of steel and gold demonstrates how the world has revolutionised from the “heroic age”_ of the world’s first civilised nation the ancient Greeks, when wars were fought over love and modest causes, to a “golden age”_ when the face of a Hebrew financier rather than Helen of Sparta can start a war. The occupation of Egypt and its almost annexation in 1882 was done to protect the financial investments of many British businessmen such as Lord Rothschild, a wealthy politician. Thus the actions of the British empire were motivated by finance to increase the material wealthy of its greedy politicians and businessmen. The aggressive attitude of British in China and the annexation of Hong Kong in 1842 was motivated primary by material greed as it was done “merely to covet profit”_ as the tea and opium trade brought in massive revenue for British traders.

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The behaviour of British soldiers during the time of the British empire shows that the notion that the British empire was ‘motivate primarily by material greed’ is correct as the “English barbarians [soldiers]”_ who were “all eager in pursuit of plunder”_ showed no remorse for humanity, religion or magnanimity as they stole possessions, such as gold ornaments, “from the bodies of the slain city inhabitants”_ in Delhi during the so called maintenance of India. This shows that material greed, via plunder was more of a motive in influencing the British empire than mission or glory. Another way in which this is shown was by the professionalization of the army, like Marius did with the Roman empire, recruits into the British army were given a regular wage, pensions and benefits during illness, also after harsh punishments such as flogging and execution were abolished in 1868 by Gladstone’s government, people were given more incentive to join the army. This highlights that finance was more of a motive than glory or patriotism for the soldiers who fought for the British empire.

Defence also highlights how material greed was the primary motive of the British empire. The purchase of 44% of shares in the Suez Canal in 1875 was done to defence of British trade. Disraeli’s government decided that intervention in Egypt and the payment of £4 million for the majority of shares in the canal, which was the “principle highway to India”_ and Australia, was worth it if the result was that Britain could increase its control in India, a nation that was one of the wealthiest in the world in the case of natural resources. Defence against European powers is also highlights how material greed was the main motive that influenced the British empire. A speech by William Pitt the Younger in 1755 tells how the French attacked British plantations in America and how it was necessary to protect all British empire territories. Thus although material greed, in this circumstance the greed of plantations, was the motive that caused the British to defend their territories. Another case in which this occurs is in the scramble for Africa, when newly found German colonies in the 19th century began to threaten the British colonies that were rich in the natural resources of gold and diamonds. A letter dating by Lord Derby states that “both Natal and Cape Colony would be endangered” if the coast situated between the two was claimed by France or Germany, thus expansionism of the empire into this coast was on face value done solely to defend the natives. But it is more likely that it was done to protect the economical British colonies, thus the primary motive was material greed. However defence is also shown to contradict the title statement in the instance of the Zulu war. From a letter by Sir Bartle Frere it can be seen that the main motive for the actions of the British empire in this case was the defence of British colony Natal and British troops there as the Zulus kept up a “large standing army... for... tyranny or aggression”_. This is also the case with Drake and the Sea Pirates attacks on Spanish colonies in the Americas, as Philip II of Spain was using naval stores from America to build ships that would be used in the Spanish Armada which attempted to invade England in 1588. This is also the reason why Sir Walter Raleigh founded the first British colony in America, Virginia, in 1584 as America was known to have “goodly timber, to build ships”_. Thus defence as well as highlighting how material greed was a primary motive in many situations also shows how it was not in others.

Other motives that both support and contradict the title statement are ones of mission and settlement. For example Richard Hakluyt’s account on the western plantations shows how religion was a main motive in English settlement of America during the 16th century, as it states that North American settlements were safe havens for religious refugees, such as the Pilgrim Fathers who emigrated in 1520 and where they could “enlarge the glory of the gospel”_. Thus religion was more of a motive in this instance than material greed, as it was in the 17th century also as a petition to Charles II states that the main motive for emigrants moving to the colony of Massachusetts was “to walk in the faith of the gospel”_ and an Emmanuel Downing letter states that the settlers in New England went to “transport the gospel”_. However the same letter also states that the settlers in Virginia “went forth for profit”_. Therefore although religion was the main motive for the settler in Massachusetts and New England, profit thus material greed was the motive in British emigrating to Virginia.

Politics and glory also highlight how in some cases material greed was the primary motive in influencing the British empire. A letter dating from 1759 shows how political popularity was the main motive for Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder fighting wars in Quebec and Guadeloupe as it states that “on account of our [the British] successes... Mr Pitt is so popular”_. Thus the glory of victory was the main motive for William Pitt to fight wars just like “the proper motives of s soldier are patriotism and love of fame”_, ahead of material greed.

To conclude material greed was the primary motive in most situations but in a minor amount of situations it was not as other motives such as defence, religion and politics overtake it. However due to the minor amount of these situation it is right to conclude that material greed was on the primary motive when looking at the British empire as a whole.

1 1895. Lord Salisbury, speech_2 1895. Lord Salisbury, speech_3 1895. Lord Salisbury, speech_4 1752. Stair Dalrymple, Letter (to his brother)_5 1752. Stair Dalrymple, Letter (to his brother)_6 1685. Francis Pastorius, Account of Pennsylvania_7 1685. Francis Pastorius, Account of Pennsylvania_8 1882, 1889. HN Brailsford, The War of Steel and Gold_9 1882, 1889. HN Brailsford, The War of Steel and Gold_10 1841. Chinese placard at Kwangtung_11 1841. Chinese placard at Kwangtung_12 1857. Captain Charles Griffiths, narrative of the siege of Delhi_13 1857. Captain Charles Griffiths, narrative of the siege of Delhi_14 1882. Sir Charles Dilke, speech (to the house of commons)_15 1878. Sir Bartle Frere, letter_16 1584. Richard Hakluyt, The Discourse of Western Planting_17 1584. Richard Hakluyt, The Discourse of Western Planting_18 1620+. John Endecott, Governor of Massachusetts, Petition to Charles II_19 1630. Emmanuel Downing, letter_20 1630. Emmanuel Downing, letter_21 1759. Tobias Smollett, letter_22 1821. V Blacker, Memoirs of the British army in India_