A Wider Patriotism:

Alfred Milner and the British Empire

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J Lee Thompson

Empires in Perspective

When Alfred Milner (1854–1925) was knighted, he took as his motto Communis Patria, ‘patriotism for our common country’. By this he meant the wider patriotism of the British Empire, the furthering of which he made his life’s work.

This is the first study of Milner to take his politics, or ‘constructive’ imperialism as its primary theme. His career is examined as a whole, from the genesis of his imperial ideology at Oxford, through his time as High Commissioner in South Africa during the Boer War, to his days as Minister of War during the final seven months of the First World War.

Famously, Milner propagated his ideas through his ‘kindergarten’, a group of like-minded young male acolytes. In this fascinating book, J Lee Thompson also discovers a group of young female supporters of his vision.

This book is based on extensive primary research in archives in the UK, North America and South Africa.

Sample pages

• A Wider Patriotism: Introduction
• A Wider Patriotism: Index

Readership

Empire Studies, South African History, Twentieth-Century History

Contents

Part I: A Question About Which I Have Never Been Able to See the Other Side

• Introduction: Alfred Milner and the idea of Empire
• Projecting a ‘Sane and Sober’ Imperialism: Milner and Press
• England Abroad: Cromer and Egypt

Part II: Civilian Soldier of the Empire

• Chamberlain and South Africa
• Lord High Executioner: Imperial Administrator and Politician
• Cecil Rhodes and Milner
• The Most Important Question: Race in South Africa
• A Kindergarten to Rule the Country

Part III: Constructive Imperialism

• Tariff Reform and Imperial Defence
• Constructive Imperialism
• The Essential Link: Canada and the Empire
• New Jesuits of Empire: The Round Table

Part IV – Imperialism on the Anvil

• The Great War
• An Imperial Peace
• The Colonial Office and Egypt Again
• Conclusion: A Wider Patriotism

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