Capitalism: Cause of the Boer War

The Boer War was the armed conflict between Britain and the two Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State in South Africa. It began on October 11, 1899 and lasted almost three years ending May 31, 1902. During that three-year period, the British were humiliated by an undermanned force in the Boers, which led to the implementation of barbarous and savage techniques for which the British were heavily scrutinized. Capitalism caused this British version of Vietnam, and by …

…best stated by John Burns, Labour M.P. for Battersea, "Wherever we examine, there is the financial," Burns declared in the House on February 6, 1900, "operating, directing, inspiring the agencies that have led to this war." Although several factors were evident throughout this struggle, among them race, politics and nationalism, it was the capitalistic nature of the British that led to the massacre of over 28, 000 civilians in one of the most brutal incidents in world history.