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Benjamin
Disraeli (1804-81)
Known as a dandy, a novelist, a brilliant debator and England's
first and only Jewish prime minister, Disraeli (Earl of
Beaconfield) is best remembered for bringing India and the Suez
Canal under control of the
crown. A Conservative, he was elected to Parliament in 1837
after
failing to win election in four earlier elections. After
Robert Peel
formed a government in 1841, Disraeli was on the outs until
1846. He
wrote a trilogy "Coningsby", "Sybil"
and "Tancred" expounding his ideas
and formed the Young England group as watchdogs over Peel's brand
of
conservatism. When Peel's government fell, Disraeli
gradually became
known as the leader of the Conservatives in the Commons.
Disraeli served as chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Derby as
prime minister in Conservative governments of 1852, 1858-59 and
1866-68. The 1858-59 Parliament made the admission of Jews
to Parliament legal, clearing the way for a Disraeli's prime
ministership following Lord Derby's retirement in 1868. Defeated
in a general election by William Gladstone that same year,
Disraeli faced another six years of opposition which produced
another novel entitled "Lothair" in 1870. He also
established the Conservative Central Office, considered by some as
the forerunner of modern party organization.
Disraeli became prime minister for the second time in 1874 at the
age
of 70. Acting on his own, he purchased a controlling
interest in the
Suez Canal conferring the title of Empress of India upon the Queen
and
in so doing earning himself the title of Earl of Beaconfield in
1876.
During the next two years, Disraeli and liberal Leader William
Gladstone, clashed over issues surrounding the Bulgarian revolt
and the
Russo-Turkish War (1877-78). Disraeli represented British
interests in
the Congress of Berlin, 1878, which brought peace as well as
Cyprus
under British flag. His government was defeated in 1880.
Disraeli died
the following year. |
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We
can know nothing of mankind without knowing
something of ourselves. Self-knowledge is the property
of those people whose passions have their full play, but
who ponder over their results.
Benjamin Disraeli
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