Imperial Britain and culture promotion : an exception in Europe

Abstract EN

Efforts at controlling both the political and economic fields in British colonial policy were not manifested in the cultural sphere.

the latter was mainly left to the missionaries until 1934.the British conception about cultural domination as a means of influence was an exception in Europe.

unlike some other European powers, the British government did not believe in committing itself directly to a cultural enterprise in the colonies.

the British state supported the missionaries in their efforts to impose British values overseas and assisted various governmental and non-governmental institutions such as the Victoria league, west African students union and aggrey house to protect educated colonial students from subversive propaganda which could threaten British imperial interests, after the first world war.

direct and active involvement with culture promotion for influential purposes was not formulated until 1934, when an important cultural organization, the British council, was created to be officially charged to undertake British cultural relations with foreign countries and to promote British culture overseas, particularly in British spheres of influence.