More british dominions in africa

A good candidate would have been Madagascar, if seized from the French during the various war with Britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-French_War

However it would only work if whites can be made the majority population. It's too close to trade routes for a penal colony.

The Malagasy Kingdom was still a potent local force up until the late 19th century. Madagascar wouldn't have been France's to trade away, and would require the British to play France's role in colonialism there.

But making whites the majority anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa is beyond challenging. Madagascar is better than most places climate-wise, but the Malagasy were also one of the most organised peoples in the region, totally unlike the tribal societies and chiefdoms in Kenya and Rhodesia. Britain would need to be prepared to pay a huge cost if they want to conquer the island, assuming the Malagasy mount an effective resistance. The French might as well arm Madagascar to protect their interests there and increase their influence, unless this is post-Berlin Conference. And if they do it during Radama II's short rule, they've probably just given Madagascar a chance to pull a Thailand and effectively modernise, since Radama was on the tier of some of the late 19th century Thai kings in his vision.
 
How about the Brits give an African colony to the Jews instead of Palestine? Then this colony gets Dominion status?
 
The Malagasy Kingdom was still a potent local force up until the late 19th century. Madagascar wouldn't have been France's to trade away, and would require the British to play France's role in colonialism there.

But making whites the majority anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa is beyond challenging. Madagascar is better than most places climate-wise, but the Malagasy were also one of the most organised peoples in the region, totally unlike the tribal societies and chiefdoms in Kenya and Rhodesia. Britain would need to be prepared to pay a huge cost if they want to conquer the island, assuming the Malagasy mount an effective resistance. The French might as well arm Madagascar to protect their interests there and increase their influence, unless this is post-Berlin Conference. And if they do it during Radama II's short rule, they've probably just given Madagascar a chance to pull a Thailand and effectively modernise, since Radama was on the tier of some of the late 19th century Thai kings in his vision.

I think if South Africa didn't become a Union in 1910, it is possible that an independent Cape could have had a white majority, or at least plurality.
 
What if the Brits concentrate in one colony - say, Kenya - all of the settlers that in OTL went to the other African colonies? That would have two interesting side effects: South Africa would be Boer through and through, and (arguably) there would be no Rhodesia.
 
What if the Brits concentrate in one colony - say, Kenya - all of the settlers that in OTL went to the other African colonies? That would have two interesting side effects: South Africa would be Boer through and through, and (arguably) there would be no Rhodesia.

British colonisation of Kenya only started in the 1880s, while British settlement started in South Africa in earnest in 1820 (although there had been British settlers prior to this). So, for Kenya to get more settlement, you would have to get a pretty early POD.
 
How about Libya I've read on the board elsewhere that without WWII that would of had a white majority ,so if Britain was able to gain it from Ottomans in the early part of century it could happen to have dominion status especially if they find oil
 
You don't need a majority white population for dominions to work in Africa. The UK needs to avoid the two world wars, invest in the education and infrastructure of said dominions, build trade ties, and gradually integrate the natives into the system. Worked in Botswana. Tanzania, a German colony, is another good example up until WWI.
 
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You don't need a majority white population for dominions to work in Africa. The UK needs to avoid the two world wars, invest in the education and infrastructure of said dominions, build trade ties, and gradually integrate the natives into the system. Worked in Botswana.

The British did bugger-all investing in Botswana. They got lucky because they had sensible leaders post-independence, who followed fairly investor-friendly policies and allowed the rule of law, democracy etc.

Botswana was one of the poorest countries in the world at independence, the country's success has very little to do with the British.
 

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You don't need a majority white population for dominions to work in Africa. The UK needs to avoid the two world wars, invest in the education and infrastructure of said dominions, build trade ties, and gradually integrate the natives into the system. Worked in Botswana.

Botswana (the Bechuanaland Protectorate) was never a Dominion.
 
The British did bugger-all investing in Botswana. They got lucky because they had sensible leaders post-independence, who followed fairly investor-friendly policies and allowed the rule of law, democracy etc.

Botswana was one of the poorest countries in the world at independence, the country's success has very little to do with the British.
I agree the British cannot take responsibility for the economic boom Botswana accomplished, but British practices and peaceful decolonization were prime factors coupled with resources. And my primary point was that a dominion didn't need to be majority white to succeed.
 
How about Libya I've read on the board elsewhere that without WWII that would of had a white majority ,so if Britain was able to gain it from Ottomans in the early part of century it could happen to have dominion status especially if they find oil

Britain would have to open it to Italian settlement to gain a white majority there. Since France seemed a bit ambivalent about letting Italians settle in Tunisia, I don't think Britain would let Italians settle there to the degree Italy did during their rule in Libya. Thus, no white majority in Libya.

I think if South Africa didn't become a Union in 1910, it is possible that an independent Cape could have had a white majority, or at least plurality.

That's probably the only place that would be able to have a white majority, unless you stretch the definition of "white".
 
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