Perry: Chamberlain: “The White Man’s Burden”

Thesis: Joseph Chamberlain argued that the welfare of Britain depended upon the preservation and extension of the empire, for colonies fostered trade and served as a source of raw materials while benefitting from the civilizing effect that the British had on their “backwards” societies.

English Economy

• The Empire is commerce
• Believes that the half the population of the British Isles would not last for a single day if Britain was to but away from its empire
• While the land area of the British Isles is 120,000 square miles, the area of the entire British Empire is around 9,000,000 square miles
• Believes that overseas markets are necessary in order to increase demand in the domestic economy
• Believed that the Navy should be strengthened in order to retain these overseas colonies, because if some rebelled, the first to feel its effects would be the London working class

Mutual Peace and Prosperity

• Believed that these overseas domains were only justified if the relationship was mutually beneficial, but qualifies this by acknowledging the fact that initial peace cannot be instated without a little bit of bloodshed
• Believed in an English “Manifest Destiny”