Has the role of the individual been the main reason for the loss of colonies and empires?

Explain your
answer with reference to the role of the individual and other factors [16 marks]

[SPaG 4 marks]

It could be argued that the main factor for the loss of colonies and empires was the role of individuals as they
had to fight to keep land. Henry II was a powerful king who built up an ‘Angevin’ empire in the 12th century.
When his younger son, John, took over he was not a good enough military leader to defend the Empire and so
he lost Normandy, Anjou, and Maine in France. John lost the support of the barons who were paying taxes to
defend the Empire and had to sign the Magna Carta in 1215. Moreso, individuals also contributed to the loss of
the empire as nationalists such as Gandhi and Nkrumah campaigned to gain independence from the British
Empire for their country. In India, Gandhi was at the forefront of the Indian National Congress and organised
important civil disobedience campaigns such as the Non-Cooperation Movement 1920-22 and the Salt
Satyagraha 1930 which protested British rule to try and gain independence for India. Similarly, in the Gold
Coast Nkrumah initiated an independence movement, enduring multiple prison sentences for his efforts.
Despite being imprisoned, Nkrumah won the 1951 Gold Coast elections. On his release, he was allowed to
become Prime Minister — but the Gold Coast remained part of the British Empire. In 1956, Nkrumah was re-
elected, and the British took this as a sign that they should leave. However, while the individuals mentioned
certainly had significant influence in the process of losing colonies, their campaigns for independence were
fundamentally driven by nationalist beliefs. Their actions were symbolic of broader nationalist movements
that swept across colonized regions, reflecting the collective desire for independence.

Therefore, ideas such as nationalism and equality led to the loss of colonies and empires. In the 18th century,
American colonists waged war against the British, achieving victory in 1781 at the Battle of Yorktown, driven
by ideals of equality and representation. Dissatisfied with taxes such as the Stamp Act (1765), which imposed
taxes without parliamentary representation, the Americans rebelled. Also, many successful colonists were
‘self-made’ businesspeople and saw the British class system as outdated. Although most had made their
fortunes from plantations and the slave trade they were built on, many believed that anyone could make a
success of themselves, no matter what their background. Furthermore, British-style education systems in
certain colonies, such as India, exposed colonists to Western ideas like democracy, freedom, and nationalism.
Consequently, colonial populations hoped for these ideals and began asserting demands for independence,
especially catalysed by the aftermath of World War I. Indian nationalism increased post-war, fuelled by
significant contributions to the British war effort, with Indian troops fighting in France's Western Front and
the Middle East's Mesopotamia. The sacrifices of 60,000 Indian troops during World War I intensified Indian
goals for greater power. The sudden granting of independence to India in 1947 motivated colonists across the
empire to push for independence. For example, in Kenya the Mau Mau violently resisted British rule in the
1950s. Therefore, whilst beliefs such as nationalism and representation motivated colonists to demand
independence, war was also a significant factor in causing the loss of the empire. It motivated colonists to
demand independence as they felt that they deserved it given their contribution to Britain in the world wars.

The world wars were an important factor causing Britain to lose its empire in the twentieth century because
of the economic consequences for Britain. For example, before WWI Britain was one of the richest countries
in the world. However, after 4 years of fighting, Britain’s wealth had nearly all gone, and it was now in debt
to the USA. Also, many countries during the war had been cut off from the supply of British goods so had
been forced to become self-sufficient and make their own industries. Then, the effect of WWII completely
bankrupted Britain and the USA and the Soviet Union were becoming the world’s great economic powers. The
effect of these wars meant that Britain could not longer sustain its empire and fund its colonies. It had little
choice but to accept independence. This factor links to the growing demands for independence and
nationalism in the colonies which was also a reason the British Empire collapsed.

Overall, ideas such as nationalism were the main reason for the loss of colonies and empires. Although
individuals such as Gandhi led independence movements, their campaigns for independence were
fundamentally driven by nationalist beliefs. Their actions were symbolic of broader nationalist movements
that swept across colonized regions, reflecting the collective desire for independence. War was also a key
factor in increasing nationalist ideas in the colonies, as they had sacrificed resources and lives to support the
British Empire. Therefore, nationalist ideals were the main factor for the loss of colonies as it motivated
people’s desire for independence and it was difficult for Britain to keep an empire if the people in it don’t
want to be a part of it.