1925 British Revolution

From Kaiserreich

Current revision as of 01:03, 22 December 2016

The 1925 British Revolution is a largely successful revolution that engulfed the British Empire in 1925.

Britain

While Britain's overseas territories remained largely ordered and intact after the Weltkrieg, the faith and support of the people in the Home Islands did not. In 1925, disaster struck: a minor labour dispute in the coalfields of South Wales quickly escalated after troops were sent in to restore order. Following the French example a general strike was called by the TUC and when the ‘government of national security’ sent orders for military action to quell the unrest many troops deserted to the side of the strikers, which was accompanied by a major naval mutiny. After six weeks of rioting, looting and pamphleteering on a massive scale the Royal Family were evacuated to Canada, followed by most of the country's leading politicians and large property owners. Following the ejection of the ‘Establishment’ a provisional government of revolutionary groups dissolved both Houses of Parliament, and declared that political authority in the new Union of Britain would pass to a new Congress of Trade Unions.

Canada

The Dominion of Newfoundland remained loyal to the Empire and after a successful referendum in 1926 it was incorporated into Canada (62% in favour of the confederation). The results however were contested and the Royal Family was accused of meddling with the outcome ("an unholy union between the Royalist and Ottawa"), but the accusations were quickly rebuked.

In the 1925 general elections Sir Mackenzie King's Liberals hold on to power with the help of Progressive Robert Forke, despite the Conservatives, led by Sir Arthur Meighen, winning more seats. A political crisis ensued as a flood of British political refugees poured into Canada, together with George V and the Royal Family. The Progressives, painted with the brush of Syndicalism, were then viciously attacked by the Conservatives in the media and some street fighting had been reported between members of the Right and Left wings. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police restored order and Prime Minister King declared a National Emergency and invoked the War Measures Act. The Royal Navy re-established itself in Canada as the Union of Britain consolidated its control of the Home Isles.

The declaration of a National emergency played into King’s hands as he was able to stifle accusations of corruption and patronage within his government (that actually turned out to have much validity) and the more centrist of the Progressives jumped ship to the Liberal party which wrapped itself in the flag to weather the Crisis. With a stronger Liberal party and an emasculated Progressive party, the Conservatives bid their time, constantly criticizing King’s failure to secure more of the Empire (though realistically, the tiny Canadian army was only able to send a token force to the Caribbean). King, realizing that the Empire was lost but that the admission of such a fact was political suicide, embarked upon a new Imperial Policy as the most powerful British state left standing. The presence of a British government in exile was a threat to Canadian unity and King’s power, and under the provisions of the War Measures Act and Martial Law, King promulgated a legislative union act, merging the two governments into one under his control. He was then able to outmaneuver and replace all British leaders who could conceivably try to become Prime Minister of Canada in the highly charged emotional mindset of the fall of Britain. After asserting his control over the Cabinet and parliament and making sure that only British MP’s who would follow his line and get elected in their own right in Canadian ridings, King moved on to the armed forces. Seeing the Royal Navy as the only common institution of the Empire still intact, the Fleet was ordered to divide up and deploy squadrons to Karachi, Australasia and South Africa. This did much to reassure the Australasians and South Africans, though it wasn't meant to be permanent.

India

With the Imperial metropole in revolution, India was thrown into confusion: a combination of princes, rajahs, nationalists and syndicalists started to fight for the control of the sub-continent. The British Indian Army re-grouped in Delhi and salvaged as much of the former Raj as it could, pragmatically proclaiming a native prince ruler of Delhi (although George V refused to renounce his title Emperor of India) but had to face the creation of Bharitya Commune and the Princely Federation.

Australasia

The Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand were merged into a political union in 1924 and this helped to mantain the order in that part of the Empire. However, without the protection of the Royal Navy (which remained in the Atlantic to protect the Royal Family), and with unrest and rioting throughout Australasia, nothing could be done to prevent the German occupation of many remaining British colonies in the Pacific.

Caribbean

The Royal Navy, acting mostly of its own initiative, was able to largely maintain control of the Atlantic and its colonies. In the interests of security and restoring the Empire the British Caribbean and South American colonies continued to recognize the sovereignty of the British Monarch in Canada, but chose to form a Confederation in order to maintain independence. Thus, the Caribbean Federation was created.

Africa, Asia and other colonies

The German Empire seized most of the strategic naval stations of the British Empire, allegedly to prevent a world crisis, but it soon became clear as most of the Empire plunged into rebellion and civil war that the British could not insure order and the German presence became a permanent occupation. The African colonies that the Germans took over were later incorporated into Mittelafrika. However, South Africa managed to occupy and annex the Bechuanaland Protectorate as well as Basutoland and Swaziland. Gibraltar were siezed by Spain.