Imperialist Idealism

I. Queen Victoria's Jubilee, 1897

A. Parades, Processions, Congratulations

1. parade of 50,000 troops from all parts of the empire

2. words of pride and optimism

3. Political popularity of imperialism

a. liberal imperialists

B. Reasons for worry

1. rising economic competition from Germany, USA

2. theories of racial decline (from France)

3. struggles of the Boer War

C. contradiction or connection between fear and idealism?

II. Forms of Idealism

A. Missionary movement

1. "saving" peoples from themselves

2. Livingstone's idea of the progress of flag, commerce and cross

B. Secular missionaries

1. education, science and civilization

2. example of cartoon "Shield and Shadow"

C. National Prosperity

1. Joseph Chamberlain

2. Campaign for imperial tariff system

D. Social Darwinism

1. merging the idea of nations and species

2. Karl Pearson and the authority of science

E. Nationalism and Decline

1. Fear of decadence and decline

2. fears spread from France; fanned by Boer War troubles

a. relates to social changes of industrialization

3. Rudyard Kipling's emphasis on bearing the "burden"

4. Robert Baden-Powell's concern for raising tougher boys