Figure 1.--This remarkable photograph shows four English kings, Edward VII, George V, Edeard VIII, and George VI in 1908. Queen Victoria never respected her son because of his problems as a child and role in her husband's premature death. Denied any responsibilities he developed a ruutation as a playboy, obsessing on food, drink, and clothes. He became an important style setter., His reign proved short, but he surpassed all expectations. And despite constant pvocations from his nephew Kaiser Wilhelm, he played a constructive role of minaung the peace in the midst of a raging European arms race.

The 20th century opened with great hope and a new monarch. The Edwardian Era is precisely defined as the reign of King Edward VII (1901-10). In more generalized terms it probably makes more sense to think of the Edwardian era as the period from the turn-of-the 20-century to the outbreak of World War I (1914). The new century began with enormous optimism, an unprecendented era of human progress. H.G. Wells addressed this spirit in utopian writings and became a virtual spokesman for material progress and the future. The public watched scienists slove one industrial and medical problem .after another. Electricity began to revolutionize the ecomomy and social life. The wireless began another leap firward in communications. The automobile appeared, although the average Briton could not affiord one, in contrast to America where the Model-T and mass production brought the car within the range of working-class budgets. With all the new inventions people began to see anything as possible and an increasingly bright future. Building an unsiknable ocean liner, RMS Titanic, was symbolic of popular attitudes. There had been no general European war since the Napoleonic Wars. People also began to see war as an anacroinism which was no longer possible, in part because the European economnies were increasingly tied together. The Edwardian era had anique ethos, reflected in architecture, clothing fashions, and life styles. Continental Europe fashion had an importat impacrt, especially French fashion. Art Nouveau was the characteristic style. The class system remained deeply intrenched. Economic and social changes were have major impacts, increased social mobility to an unprecendented extent. The English working-class until the Edwardian era had been largely excluded from national politics. As a result of public education and the trade union movement, the working class was becoming increasingly politicized. This lead to a period of increased industrial unrest. Women also intensified their push for political rights. The 1906 General Election was a narrow Liberal victory achieved throuh promises of reform. The Boer War which began during Queen Victoria's reign was concluded during the beginning of Edwar's reign. The Brirish political system had changed dramatically during Victoria's reign. When she became Queen the monarchy still was a major force in Government, but by the end of her reign the monarchy had become increasingly a ceemonial office in a Government administered by a primen minister and an increasingly representative Parliament. Edward was the first monarch to reign in this new enviroment. He was generally thought as a light-weight, in part because his mother the Queen prevented him from playing any important role in Government. The Boer War had badly damaged Britain's international reputation because of wide-spread European sympthy for the Boers. King Edward helped repair that reputation. Despite his poor reputation and filandering ways, he proved to be a politicaly adroit leader. He also helped steer a steady path through the increasingly difficult European situation. Many of the difficulties were created by Germany's eratic and bompastic Kaiser. Wilhelm II was a nephew who by Edward's accession had largely estrained himself from the British side of his family. Thanks to Wilhelm's aggressive behavior, attitudes toward Germant had dramar\tucally changed in Britain. The Kaiser's decesion to begn a naval arms race with Britain was the final sraw. This was the turning point ending centuries long alliancs with Germans and seeking a new relationship with France, Britain's traditional European foe. The British public became increasing concern over the decline of the country's naval power aswell as commercial dominance led to rising tensions with Germany. This was part of a massive European arms race.

Hope and Optimism

The 20th century opened with great hope and a new monarch. The Edwardian Era is precisely defined as the reign of King Edward VII (1901-10). In more generalized terms it probably makes more sense to think of the Edwardian era as the period from the turn-of-the 20-century to the outbreak of World War I (1914). The new century began with enormous optimism, an unprecendented era of human progress.

Edward VII

Edward VII (1841-1910) or Bertie as he was called within the family, was the eldest son of the redoubtable Queen Victoria and Prince Consort Albert. Edward was born Albert Edward Saxe-Coburg in 1841 at Buckingham Palace. He was affectionately known as Bertie by his family, as he was christened Albert Edward. The parents soon found that Bertie was going to be difficult to deal with. As heir to the thrown he was of great concern. Despite extrodinary efforts to assist him, he was to cause more difficulty than any of the other children. As a boy, the clothes chosen for him resulted in him affecting boys fashions for decades. He proved to be a rather difficult, volotile child which was not helped by the routine adopted for him and his brothers and sisters. Edward did not want to use his father's name, insisting that there was only one Albert. While he was a backward boy with limited academic abilities, Edward in fact proved to be a succes as king. Like his mother he gave his name to an era--the Edwardian Era. While shortlived, it was an era of the flowering of European culture before the terrible wars of the 20th centurty. Edward played an important role in steering a moderate course which helped to prevent war.

Material Progress

H.G. Wells addressed this spirit in utopian writings and became a virtual spokesman for material progress and the future. The public watched scienists slove one industrial and medical problem .after another. Electricity began to revolutionize the ecomomy and social life. The wireless began another leap firward in communications. The automobile appeared, although the average Briton could not affiord one, in contrast to America where the Model-T and mass production brought the car within the range of working-class budgets. With all the new inventions people began to see anything as possible and an increasingly bright future. Building an unsiknable ocean liner, RMS Titanic, was symbolic of popular attitudes.

Peaceful Progress

There had been no general European war since the Napoleonic Wars of the ealy-19th century. People also began to see war as an anacronism which was no longer possible, in part because the European economnies were increasingly tied together. There had been a series of smaller wars. The most prote\racted was the Crimean War in thefar away Black Sea, Britain stayed out of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) whih made the unification of Germany possible. War was seen as someting that backwards countries dis, such as aeries of wars in the Balkans.

Ethos

The Edwardian era had anique ethos, reflected in architecture, clothing fashions, and life styles. Continental Europe fashion had an importat impact, especially French fashion. The comparable era in France was le Belle Epoque. Art Nouveau was the characteristic style.

Political Developments

The 1906 General Election was a narrow Liberal victory achieved throuhh promises of reform. The Liberals managed to win the election by commiting the comprehensive reform. The new Liberal Government promised a campaign against 'landlords, brewers, peers and monopolists'. They also committed to a national insurance and old age pension program. This was something Chancellor Bismarck had institured in Germany several decades earlier. The Liberals were, however, forced to end their reform program. The Governments finances were deteriorating. British industry was habing competing with Both America and Germany. Britain in the mid-19th century had been the dominant industrial power in the world. This was no longer the case. Other countries were catching up, if not surpassing Britain, espcially America and Britain. The Boer War which began during Queen Victoria's reign was concluded during the beginning of Edward's reign. The British political system had changed dramatically during Victoria's reign. It was amajor change in Britain's constitutional traditions. When Victoria became Queen the monarchy still was a major force in Government, but by the end of her reign the monarchy had become increasingly a ceremonial office in a Government administered by a primen minister and an increasingly representative Parliament. Edward was the first monarch to reign in this new enviroment.

Class System and Trade Unionism

The class system remained deeply intrenched. Economic and social changes were have major impacts, increased social mobility to an unprecendented extent. The English working-class until the Edwardian era had been largely excluded from national politics. As a result of public education and the trade union movement, the working class was becoming increasingly politicized. This lead to a period of increased industrial unrest. The reason for the industrial unrest was that increasing competition, especially with America and Germany, had caused economic stagnation in Britain. Standard hisrtories commonly focus on low industrial wages and price goughing by capitalists. Itis certainlytrue that mahny workers survived on low wages. A major factor here is that the British worker and British industry were not very efficient and competitive with workes and industries in other countries. Industrial wages declined in Britain by about 10 percent (1900-10). Inflation causing wide-spread price increases put increasing pressure on the working class. The Liverpool strike movement was one one of the major events during the the period of pronounced industrial unrest that affected British industry between 1910 and the outbreak of World War I. It began with a walk-out of seamen. The center of the unrest was Liverpool, Britain's major port with a substantial Irish Catholic population. The strike was taken up in other ports and industrial cities. Atits peak more than 70,000 strikers were involved. The strike had profound political consequences. It was the beginning of the Labour Party and trade unionism as a major political force.

Industrial Competition

Britain's Liberal Government did nothing to address the deteriorating terms of trade which would have required anew industrial policy. British industrialists wiyh major investments in existing olant and equioment were not anxious to invest in new plants and processes. This worked fine when Britain had no real competitors, but this as no longer the case by the Edwardian Era. And growing worker unrest did not encoyrage industrialisrs to cimmitt more capital. The industrial unrest took place within the context of declining wageswith more wage cuts likely. The Trade Unions did not see their members as inefficent, but rather saw the decline in Marxist terms of capitalist exploitation of the workers. There was little thought among trade unionists about invceasing the efficency of workers or assisting companies become more efficent. It should not be thought that trade unions were solely responsible for Britain's industrial problems. Industrialists were often not willing to work with the unions or adopt needed innovations in industrial processes. German and American firms made progress with British companies in many overseas markets. British and German industry wre not only competitors. Britain and Germany were each others major trading partners.

Women's Sufferge Movement

Women also intensified their push for political rights.

Foreign Affairs

King Edward was generally thought as a light-weight, in part because his mother the Queen prevented him from playing any important role in Government. The Boer War had badly damaged Britain's international reputation because of wide-spread European sympthy for the Boers. Interestingly the even more brutal German Herero War (1904) did not affect European thinking. The diffeenceof course was that the Boers were of European origins while the Hereros were Africans. King Edward helped repair that reputation. Despite his poor reputation and filandering ways, he proved to be a politicaly adroit leader. He also helped steer a steady path through the increasingly difficult European situation. Many of the difficulties were created by Germany's eratic and bompastic Kaiser Wilhelm II. Wilhelm was a nephew who by Edward's accession had largely estrained himself from the British side of his family. Thanks to Wilhelm's aggressive behavior, attitudes toward Germant had dramar\tucally changed in Britain. The Kaiser's decesion to build a high seas fleet. The resulting naval arms race with Britain was the final sraw. This was the turning point ending centuries long alliancs with Germans and seeking a new relationship with France, Britain's traditional European foe. The British public became increasing concern over the decline of the country's naval power aswell as commercial dominance led to rising tensions with Germany. Britain unlike Germany did not have a large army. Britain depended primarily on the Royal Navy for its securuty. Germany's naval building was seen as agrave threat from aountry with whiv\ch Britain had aong historyof friendship, not to meb\ntion te fact that the British royal family was of German origins. This was all part of a massive European arms race and alliance system.

Sources

Wells, H.G. Anticipations of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought (1901). Wells' outlook and political attitudes would change after World War I. One of his subsequent works was the forbodding--'Things to Come'.

Created: 11:19 PM 9/22/2012
Last updated: 4:24 AM 4/8/2014