| This study traces the imperial ideas of Lord Salisbury (1830--1903) who was both British prime minister and foreign secretary in 1885, 1886--1892, and 1895--1900. In 1900 he resigned as foreign secretary but remained prime minister until 1902. Previous research on Lord Salisbury has neglected his imperial thought and has seen him as essentially a pragmatist. Instead, this work argues that his outlook consisted of High Anglican Christian faith, and Tory beliefs which were modified by contemporary liberalism. This trilogy of convictions can be seen in his view of British domestic politics and in each of the issues which are examined in detail: namely, his reaction to the American Civil War, his view of India, his reflections on nationalist movements, his role at the Congress of Berlin, his perspective on the civilizing mission and the partition of Africa, his ideas on race, his thoughts on Ireland, Egypt and the Sudan, his opinion on the colonies of settlement, Imperial Federation, and the South African War in 1899. Essentially, this study revises the existing historiography by demonstrating that Salisbury's Christian faith was a central feature of his approach to diplomatic and imperial affairs. |
