Decline of the Conservatives

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Boer War

  • Guerilla warfare
  • Scorched earth warfare 
  • Concentration camps
  • Embarrassing for GB (looked bad on conservatives)
  • Almost lost to dutsch farmers
  • Highlighted poor state of the army
  • Army were weak and vulnerable (how do we defend empire with this?)
  • Led by Chamberlain (had a monocle)
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Chinese Slavery

  • Supplied slaves with Opium
  • Worked in very poor conditions
  • Showed UK was an immoral country
  • Used Chinese slaves to mine in British owned mines
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GB - A Great Power in Decline

  • Only just holding on to our leading position
  • Other superpowers catching up with us
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Lack of Social Reform

  • Typical of Conservatives (conserve prior happenings)
  • Education Act 1902:

- Set up LEA (local education authority)

- Decided on curriculm & which schools got funding & how

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'New Imperialism'

  • Britains future relies on unity & strength of empire
  • Want to expand British empire further
  • Will keep us main superpower
  • More land = more authority
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Arthur Balfour

  • Salisbury's nephew
  • Took over as leader in 1902
  • Nowhere near as strong as Salisbury

- weak

- indisicive 

- didn't bring strength with Tariff reform

  • Seen as he didnt earn the job, just got it from his uncle
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Lord Salisbury

  • Leader of Conservatives
  • Huge political figure
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Political Ideas

  • Unionism

- keep empire as one

- keep ireland and britain together

 if we cant keep this close unity how are we going to manage the whole empire?

  • Fatalism

- out of mans control

  • Conservatism

- laissez-faire

- keep rich rich and poor poor

- little reform

- keep monarchy 

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