The Boer War and the British Press

Abstract

This thesis analyses the connection between political affiliation, regional identities and coverage of the Boer War in British newspapers. The notion that a 'jingoist' popular culture made dissent impossible is challenged with research from publications associated with the Liberal party. It will be argued that historians who see the press as one sided have drawn this conclusion by over generalizing from a limited number of sources. Liberal newspapers at the time of the war included a diverse group of voices which freely debated the merits and costs of empire. The research comes primarily from five newspapers all connected to some degree with the Liberal party: the London Daily News from the south of England, Manchester Evening News from northern England, Freeman’s Journal from Ireland, The Scotsman, and the South Wales Daily News. Each of these publications reported on all the various phases of the war including the surrounding controversies and used these events to make statements on loyalty and patriotism towards the British Empire. Their coverage was shaped by the split over imperial expansionism as well as regional concerns that did not necessarily align with the goals of the British government.