Description
Book SynopsisThis wide-ranging and original 2007 study provides an insight into the climate of political thought during the lifespan of what was, at this time, the most powerful empire in history. A distinguished group of contributors explores the way in which thinkers in Britain theorised influential views about empire and international relations, exploring topics such as the evolution of international law; the ways in which the world was notionally divided into the 'civilised' and the 'barbarian'; the role of India in shaping visions of civil society; grandiose ideas about a global imperial state; the development of an array of radical critiques of empire; the varieties of liberal imperialism; and the rise and fall of free trade. Together, the chapters form an analysis of political thought in this context; both of the famous (Bentham, Mill, Marx, and Hobson) and of those who, whilst influential at the time, are all but forgotten today.
Trade Review'… excellent … the standard … is very high.… Ultimately the richness and success of any collection of this kind can be measured by the quality of the actual contributions and by the number of areas that emerge for further research and analysis. On both measures this volume scores highly and should be widely read.' Andrew Hurrell, Perspectives on Politics
'… outstanding collection … invaluable to students and scholars… Such an astute account of the Victorian visions of global order will be invaluable to students and scholars of the theory and history of international relations.' Emilian R. Kavalski, Canadian Journal of History
Table of Contents1. Introduction Duncan Bell; 2. Free trade and global order: the rise and fall of a Victorian vision Anthony Howe; 3. The foundations of Victorian international law Casper Sylvest; 4. Boundaries of Victorian international law Jennifer Pitts; 5. 'A legislating empire': Victorian political theorists, codes of law, and empire Sandra Den Otter; 6. The crisis of liberal imperialism Karuna Mantena; 7. 'Great' versus 'small' nations: scale and national greatness in Victorian political thought Georgios Varouxakis; 8. The Victorian idea of a global state Duncan Bell; 9. Radicalism and the extra-European-world: the case of Marx Gareth Stedman Jones; 10. Radicalism, Gladstone, and the liberal critique of Disraelian 'imperialism' Peter Cain; 11. The 'left' and the critique of empire c. 1865–1900: three roots of humanitarian foreign policy Gregory Claeys; 12. Consequentialist cosmopolitanism David Weinstein.
