Chamberlain, Joseph

b. 1836; d.1914

British statesman, born in London, and educated at Canonbury and at University College School, London. On leaving school he spent a short time in his father's office and then went to Birmingham, where he joined his cousin Joseph Nettlefold, in the screw business. Chamberlain was able to retire from business at an early age, a very wealthy man, and take an active interest in public life. He was already recognised as one of the leaders of radical ideas in Birmingham, and had been instrumental in establishing a Liberal Association in the city.

In 1873 he became Mayor of Birmingham, an office he occupied for the succeeding three years, and during his period of office many reforms and much public rebuilding were carried out. Chamberlain soon gained a national reputation. In 1876 he became one of the MP's for Birmingham, his colleague being John Bright. He soon became one of the leading figures in the Liberal party. In the Liberal government of 1880, Chamberlain was made president of the Board of Trade, with Cabinet rank, and Sir Charles Dilke, another leader of the radical section, became under-secretary for foreign affairs. In 1885 he put forward what was called the 'unauthorised programme', that is, a programme which went far beyond the conception of the official Liberal party. He had up to this time supported the Liberal party on questions of foreign policy, and more especially Irish policy. He also advocated free education and smallholdings, the famous phrase 'three acres and a cow' exemplifying the latter policy. In the Gladstone government of 1886, Chamberlain accepted office as president of the Local Government Board. In March he resigned, giving as his reason that he was unable to accept the Irish Home Rule measure which Gladstone had laid before the Cabinet, and in the end Chamberlain and his followers voted against Gladstone's bill.

The feeling of the Gladstonian Liberals towards Chamberlain was, not unnaturally, deep and bitter. The Liberal-Unionists led by Chamberlain rapidly became more and more estranged from the Gladstonians, and they adopted a definite policy for themselves. They decided that it was essential to keep Gladstone out of office, and they supported the Tories with that end in view. As a result of their influence, the Tory government passed measures which up to that time had been regarded solely as part of the Liberal programme, and many of them were more progressive than similar measures previously adopted by the Liberals. In 1895 the Conservative government which was formed by Salisbury included a number of Liberal-Unionists. This was the first great definite step towards the union of the parties. Chamberlain became colonial secretary.

The period 1895-1900 was one of great stress, especially in colonial affairs, and more especially in South Africa. War broke out in 1899, but in 1900 Chamberlain's actions as colonial secretary were vindicated by the results of the election. During this period of office he had also passed the Australian Commonwealth Act 1900. His tenure of office as minister for the colonies transformed his originally nationalistic ideals to ones of imperial proportions. During the war he was the hero of his party, and his firm policy did much to enhance his reputation.

In 1902 Balfour became prime minister. The Boer War had convinced Chamberlain that the economic links of the British Empire must be strengthened, and in 1903 he stated his belief in an imperial preferential tariff. The Conservative Party was bitterly divided on the subject, and Chamberlain, pleading for a free hand, resigned. Balfour's attitude on the question was more or less philosophic, and he was claimed by both sections of his party. He however, made it clear that he was in favour of a measure of tariff reform for purely retaliatory purposes. Chamberlain spent the years 1903-06 travelling throughout the country advocating his system of tariff reform. The withdrawal of Chamberlain from the Cabinet, and the advocacy of these new measures, contributed to the downfall of the government, which resigned in December 1905. The election which followed was to a very great extent the result of the differences in the party. Chamberlain insisted on the adoption of his principles, and the Unionist party was overwhelmed at the elections. Subsequently, Balfour pledged himself to tariff reform, which became the principle plank of the Unionist platform. By now Chamberlain's health had broken down, and after 1906, though retaining his parliamentary seat, he took no further part in politics.

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