Conservative Imperialism: Churchill's Government (AQA A-Level History): Revision Notes
Conservative imperialism: Churchill's government
In October 1951, the Conservative Party won the general election and Winston Churchill returned as prime minister. The expectation was that Churchill's government would assert greater authority in world affairs compared to Clement Attlee's Labour administration. Churchill certainly intended to restore British imperial prestige, but his government faced immediate challenges regarding Britain's global position and the sustainability of its overseas commitments.
Churchill's return to power in 1951 marked a significant moment in British imperial history. Many expected his government would reverse the decolonisation trends of the late 1940s and reassert Britain's global dominance. However, the reality would prove far more complex than these expectations suggested.
Winston Churchill's condition and leadership
By 1951, Churchill was a diminished figure compared to his wartime peak. At 77 years old, he had already suffered two strokes and would experience two more during his premiership. In 1954, Churchill himself reflected:
"I feel like an aeroplane at the end of its flight, in the dusk, with the petrol running out, in search of a safe landing."
He managed day-to-day government business competently but appeared to lack the energy to pursue ambitious new policies. Nevertheless, Churchill's mental decline can be overstated; he retained sharp intellect and remained an impressive parliamentary performer and Cabinet leader.
Churchill's Health Crisis
Churchill's physical condition represented a serious challenge to effective governance. His strokes and advancing age raised questions about Britain's ability to navigate complex post-war international challenges. Despite this, Churchill resisted pressure to resign, believing his experience and international standing remained valuable assets for Britain.
Anthony Eden and the Cabinet dynamic
Anthony Eden served as foreign secretary and was indisputably the most important member of Churchill's Cabinet. Public perception suggested the two men worked in close harmony with virtually identical aims, but this was misleading. Personal tensions existed between them, with some mutual suspicion if not outright animosity. Despite this, Churchill granted Eden considerable freedom in foreign policy decisions and relied heavily on his judgement.
Eden cultivated an image as the 'glamour boy' of British politics, holding what appeared to be an exciting and prestigious position. The reality proved less appealing. Eden was overworked and reluctant to delegate responsibilities, leading to constant stress, extensive travel, and deteriorating health. His shortcomings aside, Eden was a first-class negotiator who successfully projected an image of British style and confidence on the international stage, making it appear that Britain remained a major diplomatic force.
The Eden-Churchill Relationship
The relationship between Churchill and Eden was far more complex than it appeared publicly. Eden, long designated as Churchill's successor, grew increasingly frustrated by Churchill's reluctance to retire. Churchill, meanwhile, worried that Eden lacked the necessary toughness for the challenges ahead. This tension would have significant implications for British foreign policy throughout the period.
Key figure: Anthony Eden (1897–1977)
Anthony Eden had served as a successful foreign secretary during the Second World War and under Churchill from 1951 to 1955. He became Conservative prime minister in 1955 but was forced to resign in 1957 following the failure of British intervention in Egypt in 1956, known as the Suez Crisis.
Churchill's imperial aims
Churchill firmly believed that Britain's presence at the international 'top table' was essential for British interests and for global stability. In 1951, Britain remained the world's third greatest power, substantially behind the USA and USSR but clearly ahead of all other competitors. Churchill had promised to preserve the Commonwealth and Empire 'as an independent factor in world affairs', viewing the imperial system as fundamental to British strength and international influence.
Churchill was convinced that maintaining Britain's global commitments would benefit both Britain and the wider world. This reflected his lifelong commitment to empire and his belief that British power served as a stabilising force in international relations.
Churchill's Imperial Vision
Churchill's commitment to empire was absolute and unwavering. He genuinely believed that British imperialism represented a force for good in the world and that abandoning the empire would harm not only Britain but also the colonised peoples themselves. This worldview would increasingly clash with both economic realities and changing international attitudes towards colonialism.
Problems facing Churchill's government
Churchill and Eden confronted exactly the same fundamental problems that had troubled Attlee and Bevin. Churchill acknowledged this, stating:
"The problems I now face are much greater in number and complexity than they used to be."
The most pressing problem was the state of the British economy.
Economic constraints
Although Britain's economy was recovering from the war, it faced intense competition from Germany, France and Japan, whose economies were improving far more rapidly than Britain's. The Treasury repeatedly warned the government that Britain was carrying excessive foreign responsibilities in relation to its available resources. This created a dilemma: Britain's global commitments were straining its economy, yet abandoning these commitments appeared to threaten both Britain's international status and its economic interests.
The Imperial Dilemma
Britain faced an impossible contradiction: maintaining its global empire required economic resources that Britain no longer possessed, yet abandoning the empire appeared to threaten the economic interests that the empire was supposed to protect. This fundamental dilemma would dominate British policy throughout the 1950s and ultimately prove unsolvable.
Policy disagreements
Eden accepted the Treasury's arguments more readily than Churchill did. However, both men opposed the idea of Britain withdrawing from its overseas commitments, arguing that such withdrawal would inflict serious damage on Britain's international status and harm its economy. This created an unresolved tension at the heart of government policy: how to maintain global influence without the economic resources to sustain it.
Advantages for British imperialism
Despite these challenges, Churchill's government benefited from several favourable circumstances that allowed Britain to maintain its imperial position temporarily.
American priorities
Following substantial decolonisation in Asia during the late 1940s, the USA became much more concerned with ensuring its European allies remained committed to the struggle against communism. This meant the USA was more interested in encouraging Britain, France, Belgium and Portugal to maintain their anti-communist stance in Europe than in pressuring them to abandon their remaining colonies. American anti-colonial pressure therefore decreased.
The Cold War Context
The intensification of the Cold War fundamentally altered American priorities. Where the USA had previously pressured European powers to decolonise, it now prioritised maintaining a united Western front against Soviet communism. This temporary reprieve gave Britain breathing space to maintain its imperial commitments without facing American opposition.
Limited Soviet involvement
The USSR was not yet deeply involved in the world outside Europe at this stage. This allowed Britain to maintain its imperial position without facing substantial external pressure from the Soviet bloc, unlike the situation that would develop later in the decade.
In the early 1950s, Soviet foreign policy remained largely focused on consolidating control in Eastern Europe and competing with the West in Europe itself. This limited Soviet engagement in African and Asian anti-colonial movements provided Britain with a window of opportunity to maintain its imperial position without significant communist-supported resistance.
Economic improvement
By 1951, Britain's economy had improved somewhat compared to the immediate post-war years. The devaluation of the pound in 1949, from $4 to $2.80, had made British exports more competitive on world markets. This provided Britain with slightly more economic room to sustain its overseas commitments, though the fundamental problem of economic constraints remained unresolved.
Key Points to Remember:
- Churchill returned as prime minister in 1951 at age 77, physically and mentally diminished but still capable of leading
- Anthony Eden served as foreign secretary and was the most important Cabinet member, though tensions existed between him and Churchill
- Churchill aimed to preserve the Commonwealth and Empire 'as an independent factor in world affairs' and maintain Britain's position as the world's third greatest power
- The main problem facing Churchill's government was economic: Britain's resources were insufficient to sustain its extensive foreign responsibilities, yet both Churchill and Eden resisted abandoning overseas commitments
- Churchill benefited from favourable circumstances: the USA prioritised keeping European allies focused on anti-communism rather than pressing for decolonisation, the USSR remained largely uninvolved outside Europe, and Britain's economy had improved modestly following the 1949 devaluation