The Federation Movement in Fiji, 1880-1902

The historical context reveals Fiji's transition to a British Crown Colony in 1874, marked by the cession of the islands to Queen Victoria by local chiefs. Initially embraced by European settlers, British governance quickly soured due to restrictive land policies and the denial of Fijian labor. The introduction of Indian laborers in 1879 failed to satisfy settlers, who struggled to compete with larger companies like the Australian Colonial Sugar Refining Company, highlighting tensions between colonial policies and settler interests.