The Neglected Element: Prestige and British Decision-Making in the Age of Decolonization A Master’s Thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master’s Degree in History Theodore J.L. Theopolos December 2020 © 2020 Theodore J.L. Theopolos. All Rights Reserved. 2 This Master’s Thesis titled The Neglected Element: Prestige and British Decision-Making in the Age of Decolonization by THEODORE THEOPOLOS has been approved for the History Department and the College of Arts and Sciences by John Brobst Associate Professor of History Florenz Plassmann Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 Abstract THEOPOLOS, THEODORE J. L., Master’s Degree, December 2020, History The Neglected Element: Prestige and British Decision-Making in the Age of Decolonization Director of Master’s Thesis: John Brobst The following thesis seeks to explore how the concept of prestige affected decisions made by the British Government relating to the raise of nationalism and decolonization. To define and characterize prestige, the thesis examines how other social science fields studied prestige. From there, the thesis synthesizes these as well as develop expanding ideas on prestige, such as the concept of universal prestige and particular prestige, in order to grasp the dynamics of the concept both within the British government and in the wider international scene. It then proceeds to put these concepts into context into three episodes in the mid-twentieth century: The Suez Canal Crisis, the Wind of Change speech, and the withdrawal of British forces East of Suez. Throughout each chapter will be the continued examination of the sterling area, the Anglo-American alliance, Britain’s leadership in Liberal Europe, and Britain’s efforts in the British Commonwealth. Each factor placed into context as to how they relate to British prestige and the decisions made by the Eden, Macmillan, and Wilson Governments. In the conclusion, the thesis will postulate how the topic of prestige can be expanded to more recent history, current events, and other approaches to history as well as the nature of British prestige within the ‘Official Mind’. 4 Dedication To Dr. Arvind, For all the Time and for all the Chai 5 Acknowledgments I am indebted to the kind efforts, encouragement, and guidance from several individuals for making this thesis possible. Any errors in this thesis are the author’s alone. First, my advisor Dr. John Brobst for his guidance, supervision, and tremendous depth of historical and historiographical knowledge I needed throughout the process. Dr. Robert Ingram for giving criticisms and input that proved essential when writing my introduction and refining my approach to the concept of prestige. Alden Library’s archives for providing the microfilm as well as new microfilm readers to make the backbone of my research possible. Shane Hapner for lending his command of the English language and narrative for much needed input during the initial proofreading process. Finally, Dr. Arvind Elangovan for being such an affable and supportive mentor throughout my academic education. While this type of political history may not be his cup of tea, I nonetheless dedicate this thesis to him. 6 Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 7 Prestige and Its Meanings ............................................................................................. 8 Prestige and the ‘Official Mind’ ................................................................................. 13 Prestige and Decolonization ....................................................................................... 17 Chapter One: Prestige and the Suez Canal Crisis ............................................................. 21 The Jugular Vein of the Empire .................................................................................. 22 Aftermath and Reflecting on Prestige ......................................................................... 36 The Plunge and Prestige.............................................................................................. 54 Chapter Two: The Macmillan Government and Navigating the “Wind of Change” in Africa ................................................................................................................................ 61 You Need Us: For Ourselves; for Commonwealth; and as Leaders of Europe .......... 62 Navigating Between Race, Federation, and ‘Police State’ ......................................... 74 Wind of Change in Africa and in Commonwealth ..................................................... 80 Chapter Three: East of Suez and the Last Vestige of Empire........................................... 90 At World Role’s End .................................................................................................. 92 The Last Vestige of Empire ...................................................................................... 107 Conclusion: What is British Prestige? ............................................................................ 119 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 127 7 Introduction A country’s prestige is a commonly-mentioned element in any discussion of hegemony, imperialism, and statecraft. Yet, rarely do scholars focus on this concept as a subject for observation. Any dissection of its dynamic or specific attributes are often ignored and relegated as an afterthought by scholars. They tend to make jests of it as a reason to a decision without explaining its importance. Prestige somehow surfaces as an element to be mentioned within a narrative, but few bother to explain why it needs to be mentioned in a narrative. Absence of this observation is not entirely lost on scholars. In the forward of British Government Policy and Decolonisation 1945-1963: Scrutinising the Official Mind by Frank Heinlein, British historian Robert Holland acclaimed: Prestige and power, not money, lies at the root of the process [of decolonization]. This is surely true, and one is left with a feeling that what we need now is not more accounts of decolonization in its political guise, but an exploration of the meanings of prestige — or what Lord Palmerston called moral power — in the general context of modern British history, including the ending of empire.1 This thesis will attempt that exploration. It will endeavor to focus upon the dynamics of prestige along with the sentiments that prestige invoked in policymakers. However, the concept of a country’s prestige varies not just by country, but by different governments in certain periods of time. To attempt a complete analysis of nation’s relationship and conceptualization of prestige is a wary and winding task. In order to prevent this exploration from being aimless, a solid exploration of interpretations of prestige along with a framework must be constructed by which to analyze this influential, abstract, and neglected element. 1 Robert Holland, “Foreword,” in Frank Heinlein, British Government Policy and Decolonisation 1945-1963: Scrutinising the Official Mind, (Portland, OR: Frank Cass, 2002), viii. 8 Prestige and Its Meanings Prestige proves to be difficult to distill into a firm definition. However, one must attempt to present greater understanding in how the social sciences and past observers wrote about prestige. In the field of psychology, hierarchies form based on the amount of influence a group bestows upon an individual. Prestige “refers to social rank that is granted to individuals who are recognized and respected for their skills, success, or knowledge.”2 Those with prestige are found to be worthy of emulating and often sway others, out of deference, to heed to their wishes despite disagreements. Contrarily, dominance acts as the other manner in which hierarchies form. This comes when an actor’s aggressive and forceful behavior results in that person controlling resources. Then, the actor uses their material gains to form compliance from others. Power, the asymmetrical possession of materials, alone does not determine hierarchy in the field of psychology. One may possess substantial power but little influence and vice versa.3 Power combined with dominance, however, can enable an individual to generate influence and status in a group. Status is the position of an actor within a group’s hierarchy. That said, status and prestige remain separate; one can employ dominance and power to achieve status, but they can still lack the skills, success, and knowledge that a group values and respects. Anthropology share similarities with these concepts of hierarchy. Prestige also stems from one’s possession of desirable traits, such as skills or knowledge. This leads 2 Joey T. Chang, Jessica L. Tracy, Tom Foulsham, Alan Kingstone, and Joseph Heinrich, "Two Ways to the Top: Evidence That Dominance and Prestige Are Distinct Yet Viable Avenues to Social Rank and Influence," Journal of Personality