This timeline is in many cases similar to my previous timeline, A Rhodesian Dream, but also different in several respects. A friendship between Rhodes and Gandhi seems extremely unlikely and his fighting for civil rights was downright implausible. So I have decided to take a slightly different route but this timeline will share many similarities as well. So without further ado...
The Colossus
Taken from “The History of South Africa”
Cape Town Publishing Copyright 1998
Cape Town, South Africa
Used with permission…
…much has been said about Cecil Rhodes. To many he is the founder of South Africa and De Beers, serving as the first prime minister of the former and chairman on the latter. He orchestrated many incidents, annexations and used his incredible influence and money to steer. His victories in the Matabele War, the Boer War and the Great War are seen by many to make him one of the Empire’s greatest heroes behind the likes of Clive, Wellesley, Nelson and Chamberlain. No doubt, his exploits prompted people to call him “the Colossus” until his death in 1923.
Despite all of these achievements, his flaws were vast. He instituted several reforms that disenfranchised native Africans, a problem that would grip South Africa for the next 40 years. His ego and vainness were unnaturally large and he is the only Prime Minister of South Africa to have a province named after him. He convinced himself he could do no wrong and to many his assumption was correct.
Whatever people may think of Rhodes, one thing is for sure. His achievements are vast. He founded De Beers and Anglo-American plc, which today control over 90% of the world’s diamond supply and 70% of the world’s gold supply respectively. He allowed for millions of disenfranchised Europeans to settle in his territories. His estate was worth over 10,000,000 pounds at his death, and he used every cent of it to make South Africa one of the most powerful countries today, which has helped the British Commonwealth extend its Pax Britannia into the 21st century.
Rhodes was once most famous for saying to another miner in Kimberly, "all of these stars... these vast worlds that remain out of reach. If I could, I would annex other planets”. Little did he know how true that quote would come to be…