Origin of the Anglo-Boer War Revealed: The Conspiracy of the 19th Century Unmasked: (2nd ed.)

In Short

This historical polemic serves as a contemporary indictment of the political machinations behind the Anglo-Boer War. The author, a resident of the Transvaal, contends that the conflict was orchestrated by an "Afrikaner Bond" and a Dutch coterie in Europe to drive the British from the continent. By detailing the economic and social climate of the region, the author attempts to shift the blame from the ordinary Boer farmer to the architects of a secret, nationalist agenda, ultimately advocating for a post-war order that effectively removes these specific agitators from South African life.

The Story

The narrative begins with the author’s frustrated attempt to publish his findings from within the Transvaal. Caught behind enemy lines as war approaches, he escapes to London to expose the "wicked and delusive aims" he believes have steered the region toward disaster. He frames the Boer people as fundamentally pastoral, resourceful, and hardworking, yet susceptible to the influence of a small, manipulative class of leaders.

The historical arc starts with the settlement of the Transvaal, where the author describes a period of genuine peace and prosperity following the 1881 independence. During these years, British and Boer lived in relative harmony, aided by the arrival of international investment and the discovery of gold. The author paints a picture of a country on the verge of economic greatness, where the primary need was simply stable, transparent governance to support the massive influx of capital and labor.

However, this idyll begins to fracture in the late 1880s. The author traces the rise of the Afrikaner Bond, a political organization he defines not as a constitutional body, but as a seditious conspiracy. He argues that this movement, bolstered by "educated Hollanders" arriving to manage government and railways, introduced a spirit of exclusion and racial hostility. This group, he contends, viewed the English presence as a cancer and sought to reclaim the sub-continent through a systematic, long-term policy of anti-British agitation.

The story moves through the "Jameson Incursion"—a failed, amateurish attempt at a revolt—which the author argues was a gift to the Bond’s propaganda machine. Instead of realizing the danger of their own path, the Boer leaders used the incident to paint themselves as victims, successfully radicalizing their populace. The author details the steps taken toward war: the deliberate suppression of the Uitlander (foreigner) population, the hoarding of modern armaments, and the use of the press to foster a narrative of righteous, self-defensive struggle.

The climax of the argument involves the final diplomatic breakdown at the Bloemfontein Conference. The author posits that the Boers never intended to compromise; the franchise offers were mere decoys meant to buy time while military preparations were finalized. The final chapters describe the outbreak of war, the forced exodus of civilians, and the author’s grim conclusion that, for the sake of future peace, the "Hollander element" must be excised from the territory like a cancer, leaving a Boer population that can eventually reconcile with the British under a new, stable administration.

How It Unfolds

The conspiracy unveiled The author sets the stage by identifying the Afrikaner Bond as the true culprit, distinct from the broader Dutch population. He establishes the intent to unmask the "arch-plotters" who sacrificed South Africa for personal gain.

The pastoral ideal A historical overview paints the Boer as a capable, independent pioneer living in harmony with nature. This section contrasts their traditional, self-reliant lifestyle with the subsequent political corruption of their leaders.

The economic golden age The discovery of gold brings international investment, creating a brief window of prosperity. The author argues that this success proved the viability of a multi-ethnic, productive South Africa before political friction began to destroy it.

The rise of the Bond The narrative pivots to the arrival of Hollander bureaucrats who, the author claims, poisoned the political well. He describes how these figures implemented policies designed to isolate the Boers and drive out British influence.

The path to war The failure of the Jameson Raid serves as the catalyst for total mobilization. The author tracks the transition from mere political squabbling to the stockpiling of weapons and the systematic planning of a military coup.

The final reckoning The book concludes with a call for the permanent removal of the foreign agitators. The author envisions a post-war landscape where the "deluded" Boers can return to their productive, peaceful existence under British oversight.

The People

The author serves as the moral arbiter, a man who sees himself as a truth-teller attempting to rescue a nation from its own self-destruction. He portrays President Paul Krüger as a man of religious conviction who is nevertheless deeply entrenched in, and misled by, the designs of the Bond. While Krüger prays for his cause, the author views his leadership as a tragic capitulation to the "tortoise" strategy of striking at the right moment.

Standing in opposition to these leaders are the Uitlanders, the international immigrants whose capital and labor built the mining industry. The author defends them as the rightful contributors to the region’s prosperity, hindered by a government that treats them as unwelcome subjects rather than vital guests.

Behind the scenes, the Hollander bureaucrats act as the primary antagonists. These men are characterized as outsiders—educated, cunning, and insidiously anti-British—who manipulate the Boer temperament to secure their own positions. Finally, the average Boer is presented as an object of pity. This individual is depicted as a resilient, pious, and highly skilled scout who has been led astray by the rhetoric of his leaders. The author’s ultimate goal is to strip away the influence of the Hollander coterie so that this "average" Boer can emerge from the conflict, having regained his moral senses through the defeat of his seducers.

In Its Own Voice

"The exposure of the actual culprits and originators should also operate favourably, and in mitigation in behalf of the much less guilty Boers, so as to dispose the victors to the exercise of magnanimous consideration."

The author explains that his goal is not to punish the rank-and-file Boers, but to ensure they are treated fairly after the war.

"Let alliances of marriage with the English be stamped as unpatriotic."

This line illustrates the extreme measures the author attributes to the Afrikaner Bond to keep the populations divided.

"The Boers, and especially the younger generation, have a much greater aptitude and penchant for learning English than for High Dutch; and generally it has been held more important by the parents that their children should become proficient in English."

The author uses this observation to argue that the Boer people were naturally inclined toward British culture until forced otherwise by political elites.

What It's Really About

The book is a study in the power of political myth-making. Its central argument is that modern wars are rarely the result of inevitable clashes between peoples, but are instead engineered by small, self-interested groups who exploit the cultural and linguistic anxieties of the masses. The author asks a difficult question: how does a population, inherently peaceful and industrious, get steered toward a war of self-destruction? He concludes that the answer lies in the control of language, the manipulation of the press, and the systematic exclusion of foreign influence. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of extreme nationalism—what the author calls "usurpation"—and the argument that for a society to prosper, it must prioritize economic integration and political transparency over the divisive, isolationist agendas of ideological radicals.

Why Read It Today

Reading this book is a challenging, often jarring experience. It is a product of its time, steeped in the rigid colonial attitudes of the late 19th century and the specific, intense biases of the South African political climate. Modern readers should be prepared for the author’s blunt, sometimes paternalistic, assessments of the Boer, the "Kaffir," and the "Coolie" populations. The language is dense, formal, and occasionally archaic, reflecting the rhetorical style of a Victorian-era polemicist.

However, for those interested in the anatomy of conflict, the book provides a fascinating, unfiltered window into the mind of an observer who was convinced he was watching a great tragedy unfold. You will not find the balanced, retrospective analysis of a modern historian; instead, you find the raw, immediate anger of someone who believes he is witnessing a "conspiracy of the century." It is valuable today as a primary document of how propaganda functions, how "us versus them" narratives are constructed, and how deeply personal the politics of empire felt to those living on the frontier. It is not an easy read, but it is an essential one for understanding the psychological fervor that preceded the Boer War, and the stark, uncompromising worldview that defined the era's debates.