Macmillan and the ‘Wind of Change’, 1957–63

Abstract

One of Harold Macmillan’s first moves was to instruct the Cabinet’s Colonial Policy Committee, on 28 January 1957, to do three things. First, it was to consider future constitutional developments and indicate which colonies would be ripe for independence in the near future. Secondly, it was to identify those which would qualify as full members of the Commonwealth and suggest an appropriate future for those which would not. Thirdly, he called for ‘something like a profit and loss account’ for each colony so that ministers would be aware what would be gained or lost by granting independence.¹ The resulting 76-page report suggested that the immediate candidates for independence were Malaya (already set for August 1957), Nigeria (in 1960 or 1961) and the Caribbean and Central African Federations. Rapid advance could also be expected in West and East Africa and fourteen territories could expect internal self-government over the next ten years. Most of the smaller territories, however, had no material value and could not hope to maintain themselves with stable administrations if the British left. Withdrawal from them would not achieve large savings and it would be ‘a negation of responsibility and indeed be degrading’ to abandon them.² A separate report on financial and economic issues concluded that benefits and liabilities were ‘evenly matched’ and that Britain’s economic interests were ‘unlikely in themselves to be decisive in determining whether or not a territory should become independent’.