Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was a British mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896.
An ardent believer in British imperialism, Rhodes and his British South Africa Company founded the southern African territory of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia), which the company named after him in 1895. South Africa's Rhodes University is also named after him. He also devoted much effort to realising his vision of a Cape to Cairo Railway through British territory. Rhodes set up the provisions of the Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his estate. Widely acknowledged also as a white supremacist, Rhodes explicitly believed in the superiority of white English people over all others, especially sub-Saharan Africans. He infamously said "to be born English is to win first prize in the lottery of life". During his political career he successfully confiscated land from the African population of the Cape Colony, and falsely claimed southern African archeological sites such as Great Zimbabwe were built by European civilisations instead.The son of a vicar, Rhodes was born at Netteswell House, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. A sickly child, he was sent to South Africa by his family when he was 17 years old in the hope that the climate might improve his health. He entered the diamond trade at Kimberley in 1871, when he was 18, and, thanks to funding from Rothschild & Co, began to systematically buy out and consolidate diamond mines. Over the next two decades he gained near-complete domination of the world diamond market, forming a massive monopoly. His diamond company De Beers, formed in 1888, retained its prominence into the 21st century.
Rhodes entered the Cape Parliament at the age of 27 in 1881, and in 1890, he became prime minister. During his time as prime minister, Rhodes used his political power to expropriate land from black Africans through the Glen Grey Act, while also tripling the wealth requirement for voting under the Franchise and Ballot Act, effectively barring black people from taking part in elections. After overseeing the formation of Rhodesia during the early 1890s, he was forced to resign in 1896 after the disastrous Jameson Raid, an unauthorised attack on Paul Kruger's South African Republic (or Transvaal). Rhodes's career never recovered; his heart was weak and after years of poor health he died in 1902. He was buried in what is now Zimbabwe; his grave has been a controversial site.
In his last will, he provided for the establishment of the prestigious international Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University, the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. Every year it grants 102 full postgraduate scholarships. It has benefited prime ministers of Malta, Australia and Canada, United States President Bill Clinton, and many others. During the 21st century, with the rise of movements such as Rhodes Must Fall and Black Lives Matter, Rhodes' legacy has come under increasing scrutiny.
Sol turns thousands of years of human wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions into a totally unique personality profile. To get your own profile, check compatibility with friends and much more, download the Sol App today.
Some of their strengths
Cecil John Rhodes has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Generous, Intuitive, Creative, Loyal, Hardworking, Optimistic, and Bold.
Intuitive and Imaginative
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Cecil John Rhodes is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who is known for being a good partner.
Adaptable and Versatile
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Cecil John Rhodes well know them as someone who can be adaptable, flexible, and polite, like a flower or a sapling.
Optimistic and Frank
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Cecil John Rhodes as someone who is optimistic, principled, adventurous, and direct.
A person who isn't shy about expressing their opinions, loves competition, loves learning things themself, who is known for being inventive and original, and who loves being surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Inquisitive and Progressive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Cecil John Rhodes is someone who is an eternal student who is always interested in learning new things, and who has a desire to shake things up and change things.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Traditional and Patient
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Cecil John Rhodes tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.
Some of Cecil John Rhodes's challenges
While Cecil John Rhodes has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Cecil John Rhodes can be Emotional, Stubborn, Standoffish, Suspicious, Pushy, Restless, and Unemotional.
Emotional and Standoffish
One of Cecil John Rhodes's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.
Pushy and Restless
Cecil John Rhodes is someone who can be arrogant and bossy, who can have difficulty concentrating and focusing, be unable to separate emotions from business decisions, and who can engage in excessive spending in support of an expensive lifestyle and habits.
Sensitive and Money-oriented
Finally, Cecil John Rhodes also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.
