British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes was by far one of the most influential factors that led to the occurrence of the South African War from 1899 to 1902. Having been rather adamant in his belief of the British being superior and even more persistent in his pursuit to defend and extend the British Empire, Rhodes placed his interest in gaining control over and revolutionising Africa, particularly South Africa, for he saw its wealth and potential at the time. With the tension brought about by his imperialistic ideologies and motives of rule, he largely contributed to the conflict between the British and the Boer people of South Africa, his choices and actions initiating the war. This essay will provide an insight into Rhodes’ importance in causing
…show more content…
His passionate belief in the superiority of the Englishman, his particular disdain for Africa’s inhabitant and his imperialistic mindset most definitely served as influential factors behind not only who he was in society, but what he became politically. Therefore, his personal views undoubtedly impacted and guided his political career which in turn metamorphosed, as will be discussed further.
On returning to Oxford for his studies after having found little satisfaction from cotton farming or diamond mining, Rhodes nurtured his interest in politics. Positively influenced by an inaugural lecture on British Imperialism by John Ruskin at Oxford, Rhodes’ very own political motives had been established. His interest turned into somewhat of an obsession, as proven in the following statement by Rhodes himself:
“Why should we not form a secret society with but one object the furtherance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole uncivilised world under British rule for the recovery of the United States for the making the Anglo-Saxon race but one Empire.”
This major political motive of his drove him into a political career that enabled him to act upon it, forming the basis for most of his future …show more content…
In addition to the railway being an access route connecting Africa, he knew that it would grant him access to precious undiscovered goldfields further north. He sought out this gold not solely for the prospect of monetary value, but for the power that comes with it. With gold having been discovered in the Transvaal in the early 1880s, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush took place. Rhodes and Charles Rudd, his partner in the British South Africa Company (BSAC) the De Beers Mining Company, saw beyond the opportunity enough to know that far greater and more valuable goldfields existed further north towards places like Mashonaland and Matabeleland, in countries known today as Zimbabwe and Zambia. At first, Rhodes decided to refrain from investing in the Witwatersrand goldfields as a way to accumulate the potential to pursue the more valuable goldfields that lay further north. However, Rhodes eventually changed his mind and decided to take on the Witwatersrand goldfields and so, together with his brother Frank, he formed the Goldfields of South Africa Company in 1887. Unfortunately for Rhodes, it was too late for his company to thrive or flourish in the Transvaal gold sector as other capitalists had already staked their
His passionate belief in the superiority of the Englishman, his particular disdain for Africa’s inhabitant and his imperialistic mindset most definitely served as influential factors behind not only who he was in society, but what he became politically. Therefore, his personal views undoubtedly impacted and guided his political career which in turn metamorphosed, as will be discussed further.
On returning to Oxford for his studies after having found little satisfaction from cotton farming or diamond mining, Rhodes nurtured his interest in politics. Positively influenced by an inaugural lecture on British Imperialism by John Ruskin at Oxford, Rhodes’ very own political motives had been established. His interest turned into somewhat of an obsession, as proven in the following statement by Rhodes himself:
“Why should we not form a secret society with but one object the furtherance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole uncivilised world under British rule for the recovery of the United States for the making the Anglo-Saxon race but one Empire.”
This major political motive of his drove him into a political career that enabled him to act upon it, forming the basis for most of his future …show more content…
In addition to the railway being an access route connecting Africa, he knew that it would grant him access to precious undiscovered goldfields further north. He sought out this gold not solely for the prospect of monetary value, but for the power that comes with it. With gold having been discovered in the Transvaal in the early 1880s, the Witwatersrand Gold Rush took place. Rhodes and Charles Rudd, his partner in the British South Africa Company (BSAC) the De Beers Mining Company, saw beyond the opportunity enough to know that far greater and more valuable goldfields existed further north towards places like Mashonaland and Matabeleland, in countries known today as Zimbabwe and Zambia. At first, Rhodes decided to refrain from investing in the Witwatersrand goldfields as a way to accumulate the potential to pursue the more valuable goldfields that lay further north. However, Rhodes eventually changed his mind and decided to take on the Witwatersrand goldfields and so, together with his brother Frank, he formed the Goldfields of South Africa Company in 1887. Unfortunately for Rhodes, it was too late for his company to thrive or flourish in the Transvaal gold sector as other capitalists had already staked their