Cecil Rhodes: Confession of Faith
At the end of the nineteenth century, the leaders of European nations were eager to expand their empires for economic gains, and the British were no exception. In "Confession of Faith," great imperialist and wealthy diamond mine owner Cecil Rhodes asserts his opinion of Britain's right to conquer land in the world, and the importance of participation by the British citizens. Rhodes's writing exudes the beliefs of the time that imperialism is the key to political and economic power and shows how British nationalism led to the expansion of its territories. To understand his point of view, it is important to understand Rhodes's background. An ill child who arrived in South Africa to improve his health, Rhodes later "founded the white-dominated state of Rhodesia (Rhodes, 227)," now known as Zimbabwe. He made his fortunes in the De Beers diamond mines of South Africa, owning almost all of them by 1891. Rhodes was greatly involved in politics in South Africa, with the founding of Rhodesia, and also as the prime minister of Cape Colony. In order to get people from other countries to understand his love for Britain, he established the Rhodes scholarships which send German and American students to England to study. Rhodes made
" By reporting the beliefs of the society for imperialism, and perhaps even inserting propaganda surrounding the movement, more people may understand the cause and join to help strengthen the British Empire. " His confident stance on his country's importance to the world is not unlike the opinions of many other leaders in the late nineteenth century. Rhodes considers the men in the House of Commons, the lower house of the British legislature, to be mediocre, "an assembly of wealth of men whose lives have been spent in the accumulation of money and whose time has been too much engaged to be able to spare any for the study of past history (Rhodes, 228). Rhodes adds that the group should get involved in the press to gain membership. " If the House of Commons will do nothing to empower the British, Rhodes knows others who can. Rhodes believes that it is important to find these people and have them work together to expand the empire and British rule. " Rhodes believes that if you live in Britain, poor or wealthy, you will always be better off than the people living in other nations. He says that the group "should inspire and even own portions of the press for the press rules the minds of the people (Rhodes, 229). " Because nationalism was a great idea of the time, many British citizens were willing to dedicate their lives to serving their country. In regard to Africa, Rhodes says that it "is still lying ready for us it is our duty to take it (Rhodes, 228). Rhodes says that it is important to find people that are willing to serve their country just as he did. it his life goal to be of service to his nation, more specifically, to gain as much territory for Britain as possible. " The group's members should "vote or speak and advocate the closer union of England and the colonies, to crush all disloyalty and every movement for the severance of our Empire (Rhodes, 229). Rhodes's solution is to "form the same kind of society a Church for the extension of the British Empire (Rhodes, 228). " Rhodes adds that by taking Africa, there will be "more of the Anglo-Saxon race more of the best the most human, most honourable race the world possesses (Rhodes, 228).
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