ABSTRACT
The true “imperial” policy is best illustrated in the case of Basutoland, which was rescued in 1884 from the aggressive designs of Cape Colony, stimulated by industrial exploiters. Early Imperialism had two main motives, the lust of “treasure” and the slave trade. Modern Imperialism in its bearing on the “lower races” remains essentially of the same type: it employs other methods, other and humaner motives temper the dominance of economic greed, but analysis exposes the same character at bottom. “Imperialism” alone favours direct taxation of the working classes. All taxation is “forced labour,” whether the tax be levied in money, in goods, or in service. A system of direct taxation imposed by hut, poll, or labour-taxes is devised. The law governing indentured labour in British Guiana provided against most of the abuses which beset the economic relations of white employers towards “lower races,” and appears to be well administered.
