Liberal Imperialists facts for kids
The Liberal Imperialists were a group within the British Liberal Party around the year 1900. They had strong ideas about how the British Empire should be managed. Unlike many Liberals, they supported the Second Boer War. They believed the Empire should be ruled in a fairer and more helpful way. Key members of this group included R. B. Haldane, H. H. Asquith, Sir Edward Grey, and Lord Rosebery.
What Did Liberal Imperialists Believe?
The Liberal Imperialists felt that the Liberal Party, under its former leader William Ewart Gladstone, had become too focused on small groups and special interests. They thought this stopped the party from being truly national. They wanted the Liberal Party to include people from all parts of society. They also wanted to help working-class Members of Parliament join the party.
They argued that the Liberal Party had lost support from average voters. This was because the party seemed to ignore the "new Imperial spirit" that was popular at the time. The Liberal Imperialists wanted the party to make a "clean slate" and change its old ways. They believed that traditional Liberal ideas needed to make way for new concepts like "National Efficiency" and a stronger focus on the Empire.
The History of the Liberal Imperialists
This group became well-known after the failed Jameson Raid in 1895. This was four years before the Boer war began. Tensions were growing between Britain's colonies in South Africa and their neighbours. The leaders of the Liberal Imperialists were members of the Liberal Party in Parliament. At the time, the Liberal Party was not in power.
They supported the imperialist foreign policy of Lord Salisbury's Conservative government. This was different from the radical wing of the Liberal Party. Important members of the radical wing included William Harcourt, John Morley, and David Lloyd George. The leader of the Liberal Party, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, tried to bring these two groups together. He was not a fan of the government's foreign policy, especially the actions of the Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain.
In the 1900 General Election, candidates linked to the Liberal Imperialists faced strong opposition. The Unionist Coalition, led by Joseph Chamberlain, called the entire Liberal Party "pro-Boer." This meant they were seen as supporting the Boers in the Second Boer War, which was considered unpatriotic.
In 1902, the group changed its name to the Liberal League. It included mostly the same people. After the Liberal Party won the election in 1906, these leaders took on important roles. Asquith became Chancellor of the Exchequer (in charge of money). Grey became Foreign Secretary (in charge of relations with other countries). Haldane became Secretary of State for War (in charge of the army).
