- Published: November 14, 2021
- Updated: November 14, 2021
- University / College: University of Oxford
- Language: English
- Downloads: 6
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Joseph Chamberlain – Excerpt from Foreign and Colonial Speeches (1897)
Joseph Chamberlain was a famous British Politician. The selected excerpts of his speeches focus on his desire to expand the British Empire globally. Through his speeches, he proclaimed that the British were the finest among the entire human race. In his opinion the Anglo-Saxon race represented the highest civilization, and it was destined to carry on the God’s work and the spread of Christianity to different regions of the world. He believed the wealth and mental as well as physical fitness of his nation were signs from God to take the conquest to Africa and other far off nations to teach them the best way of life. Mr. Chamberlain believed that the conquests were essential as African nations were unable to produce a comparable civilization, despite years of struggle. In efforts to take the so called civilization to these nations and to Christianize them, Mr. Chamberlain thought that the loss of life or property were smaller collateral damage compared benefit of the human race.
In the present day society, many people may find the views of Mr. Chamberlain to be highly offensive and racially biased. The views reflected in the speeches of Mr. Chamberlain reflect the imperial designs and the mindset of British technocrats and politicians at the time when Britain was regarded as a super power. Under the pretext of religion and religious authority from God, the views represent a strong desire to manipulate the mindsets of other nations and ruling them. In Mr. Chamberlain’s opinion, the wealth and might of the Britain was a sign from the God that others civilizations, nations, and religious views must be wrong. He was particularly critical in his views towards the African nations. Through his speeches he was justifying the imposition of the British rule on other nations, even if it meant killing many people, as a means to impose a ‘ better system’ on them. In the present day environment, the views, reflected in the excerpts, would be simply considered hate speech and bigotry.
