The Chinese labour controversy in British politics and policy-making

Abstract

This dissertation examines the controversy raised by the employment of Chinese labour in the Transvaal gold mines during the years immediately following the Boer war. It focuses on the impact this controversy had on British public opinion, politics and policy-making. An examination of the South African background, with special emphasis on the role of Lord Milner, reveals the origin and development of the Chinese labour proposal. A chapter is devoted to the persuasion of the Imperial government to sanction the importation.. A detailed examination is made of the growth, extent and political consequences of the policy in Britain and the problems its administration created for the Unionist government. A further chapter examines the Liberal government's formulation of policy on Chinese labour and the issue's role in the 1906 general election. A final chapter deals with the difficulties the Liberals faced in the execution of their policy and the eventual ending of the system by General Botha's Transvaal government in 1907.

The study illustrates the problems the Imperial government faced when a colonial issue became the focus of domestic political controversy. It offers an explanation of why the Unionist government suffered politically due to Chinese labour while the Liberal government was able to claim success for its policy. It concludes that the Chinese labour issue's impact on British politics and public opinion was due to a particular combination of factors: the public mood of disillusionment with aggressive imperialism; the inherent unpopularity of Chinese labour and the ability of the rejuvenated opposition parties to exploit politically the multifarious objections the policy aroused in the public. The preparation of this dissertation involved the consultation of the relevant official documents, of the private papers of the leading protagonists and an examination of the contemporary press.

Date of Award	1987
Original language	English