1899–1907

The future of the Empire: the Boer War and Kipling

Story 8 of 8

Embroidery-style illustration: a writer's desk with a pile of books, an open book, a pen and a sun helmet, and the flat-topped mountains and acacia trees of South Africa outside the window

The British Empire kept growing until the 1920s, but even by the late 19th century people were arguing about where it should go next. Those in favour of expansion said the Empire brought more trade and business. Others thought it had grown too big: there was constant fighting in places such as India's North West Frontier and southern Africa, and this used up a lot of resources. Still, most British people believed the Empire was a "force for good" in the world.

The Boer War of 1899 to 1902 made this debate more urgent. In South Africa, Britain fought the Boers, the descendants of settlers from the Netherlands. The Boers fought back hard, and the war went on for over three years. Many soldiers were killed in battle, and even more died of disease. Some people in Britain felt sympathy for the Boers and began to ask whether the Empire could last. As the different parts of the Empire developed, they also won more freedom and self-government from Britain.

Part of that sympathy came from the camps. The British army burned farms and held Boer women and children, and Black Africans, in concentration camps, where conditions were terrible and more than 20,000 Boer women and children died. When the news reached Britain it caused a great deal of anger.

Kipling: a writer who believed in the Empire

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was born in India. He went on to live in India, Britain and the USA. His books and poems are set in India and Britain, and they show his belief that the Empire was doing good in the world. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. His Just So Stories and The Jungle Book are still popular today, and his poem If regularly comes near the top when British people vote for their favourite poems.

Kipling was only 41 when he won, and he is still the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, as well as the first writer in English to win it. Yet he turned down a knighthood, and also said no to becoming Poet Laureate. Mowgli the boy and Baloo the bear from the Disney cartoon both come from his The Jungle Book.

At the start of the 20th century the Empire was larger than ever. Within a few years it would face its hardest test yet: a world war.

Key facts

The Empire kept growing until the 1920s. By the late 19th century people were debating its future, but most British people believed it was a force for good.
The Boer War (1899–1902): Britain fought in South Africa against the Boers, descendants of Dutch settlers. It lasted over three years; many were killed, and even more died of disease. Some people sympathised with the Boers and began to doubt whether the Empire could last.
As parts of the Empire developed, they gained more freedom and self-government from Britain. In the second half of the 20th century there was a mostly orderly change from Empire to Commonwealth, as countries became independent one after another.
Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936): born in India in 1865, later lived in India, the UK and the USA. His work is set in India and the UK and reflects the view of the Empire as a force for good. Nobel Prize in Literature, 1907. Just So Stories, The Jungle Book and the poem "If".

Key facts

1714 George I	Queen Anne's closest Protestant relative, from Germany
1721–42 Walpole	Britain's first Prime Minister
1746 Culloden	Bonnie Prince Charlie beaten by George II's army; the Highland Clearances followed
Enlightenment	Adam Smith (economics), Hume (philosophy), Watt (steam)
Industrial Revolution	Britain industrialised first; the Bessemer process, canals, Arkwright's factories, child labour
1810 Mahomet	Opened Britain's first curry house in London and introduced shampooing
1807 / 1833	1807: slave trade banned; 1833: the Emancipation Act ends slavery in the Empire; the Quakers, Wilberforce
1776 / 1783	13 North American colonies declare independence / Britain recognises it
1805 Trafalgar	Nelson wins and is killed; his column is in Trafalgar Square and HMS Victory is in Portsmouth
1815 Waterloo	The "Iron Duke", Wellington, beats Napoleon and later becomes Prime Minister
1801 Union Flag	St George + St Andrew + St Patrick; no Welsh dragon
1837–1901 Victoria	Queen at 18, reigned almost 64 years; an Empire of over 400 million people
1846 / 1847	Corn Laws repealed (free trade) / women and children limited to 10 hours' work a day
1851 Great Exhibition	Held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park
Brunel	Born in Portsmouth; the Great Western Railway (Paddington Station); many of his bridges are still in use
1853–56 Crimea	War against Russia; the first war widely covered by the media; the Victoria Cross; Florence Nightingale
Irish famine	1 million died and 1.5 million left; the Fenians wanted independence, Parnell wanted Home Rule
1832 / 1867 Reform	Pocket and rotten boroughs abolished; the Chartists campaigned for working-class votes
Suffragettes	Pankhurst helped found the WSPU in 1903; votes for women over 30 in 1918 and at 21 in 1928
1899–1902 Boer War	Fought in South Africa against descendants of Dutch settlers; Kipling won the Nobel Prize in 1907

Era contents: 1800 – 1900