E&M booklet 4

• Factors contributing to the end of the British Empire:
• The country was devastated by WW2
• Britain was keen to focus on rebuilding itself
• The time was changing – Britain chose to withdraw from its colonies
• Resistance to the empire – rebellions, uprisings, people speaking out against colonisation
• The Cold War - Britain's interests were elsewhere, focusing on stopping communism
• The UN passed a declaration on decolonisation in 1960 rapidly, with new ideas such as racial equality
• Summary of the end of the British Empire:
• Britain was in an economic crisis after WW2, no longer an economic superpower
• Britain lost its dominant power status to other superpowers like the USA and the Soviet Union
• Some dominions were semi-independent and now wanted full independence
• People were speaking up about racial inequality in the empire
• Britain had a struggling economy and lost its military power, unable to stop rebellions or hold onto colonies
• Increasing demands for independence from across the British empire:
• Suez canal crisis showed Britain could no longer use war to show power and was condemned by the USA and the UN
• Education systems in colonies like India led to more people becoming educated in political ideas, desiring independence
• Africans and Indians who fought for Britain felt frustrated that their own countries were not free
• Researchers and historians highlighted the importance of pre-European cultures in Africa and Asia
• Many people wanted to celebrate their own conditions, which could only happen once Britain left
• Caribbean immigrants in Britain faced challenges such as:

  • Shortage of workers in sectors like healthcare and building
  • Treatment of immigrants
  • Difficulty finding decent places to live
  • Openly racist words on house rental signs
  • Outbreaks of violence in cities like Nottingham and Notting Hill
• Notting Hill Carnival began as a gesture of defiance by the black community against racial attacks
• Racism in British politics:

  • Enoch Powell gave a speech warning that immigration would lead to violence
  • Extreme anti-immigration views gained some support
  • Legislation aimed to reduce non-white immigration
• Legislation aiming to reduce migration to Britain:

  • 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act: limited total number of migrants, required a skilled job ready before arrival
  • 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act: further restricted non-white immigrants
  • 1971 Immigrants Act: introduced new migrant classification categories
  • 1981 Nationality Act: changed British nationality criteria
• Impact of migration in Britain:

  • Politics: increase in minority ethnic members in the House of Commons
  • Religious life: growth of Hindu population and mosques
  • Sport: diversity in premier league players
  • Food and music culture: growth of Indian restaurants and influence of Jamaican music
• The Falklands War:

  • British claim to the islands
  • Argentine invasion and British response
  • Significance of the war
• Britain's relationship with Europe:

  • Joining the European Economic Community in 1973
  • Maastricht Treaty in 1993
  • Brexit referendum in 2016
• Reasons for the Brexit referendum:

  • Concerns about UKIP and Nigel Farage's support
  • Arguments for and against Brexit
• Changes in migration since 2004:

  • Increase in European immigrants, mainly from Poland
  • Non-EU migrants earning points for visas
  • Government control measures and the 'hostile environment' policy