P. J. Cain
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198203902
- eISBN:
- 9780191719141
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198203902.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter shows that Hobson's conversion into a radical critic of imperialism and of imperial expansion was even more prolonged than his transformation into a New Liberal. It also shows how his ...
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This chapter shows that Hobson's conversion into a radical critic of imperialism and of imperial expansion was even more prolonged than his transformation into a New Liberal. It also shows how his critique of imperialism was an important moment in a long-standing but evolving radical discourse. It was not until 1898 that Hobson successfully merged his radical stance on domestic issues with his growing hostility to imperial expansion. In ‘Free Trade and Foreign Policy’, he brought his theory of underconsumption and oversaving together with his new aversion to imperialism when he claimed that oversaving led to foreign investment and that the need to find more outlets for the latter was the key to understanding modern imperial expansion. His chief concern in 1898 was the scramble for China rather than the storm brewing in South Africa.Less
This chapter shows that Hobson's conversion into a radical critic of imperialism and of imperial expansion was even more prolonged than his transformation into a New Liberal. It also shows how his critique of imperialism was an important moment in a long-standing but evolving radical discourse. It was not until 1898 that Hobson successfully merged his radical stance on domestic issues with his growing hostility to imperial expansion. In ‘Free Trade and Foreign Policy’, he brought his theory of underconsumption and oversaving together with his new aversion to imperialism when he claimed that oversaving led to foreign investment and that the need to find more outlets for the latter was the key to understanding modern imperial expansion. His chief concern in 1898 was the scramble for China rather than the storm brewing in South Africa.
Robert Eric Frykenberg
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198263777
- eISBN:
- 9780191714191
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198263777.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The reasons why, prior to modern times, no single system of political power ever succeeded in bringing all of the Indian continent and its peoples under the rule of a single imperium can be found ...
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The reasons why, prior to modern times, no single system of political power ever succeeded in bringing all of the Indian continent and its peoples under the rule of a single imperium can be found within cultural, social, religious, and political complexities and dynamics of the continent itself. Between hundreds, if not thousands, of ethnically distinct respectable castes, intermarriage or interdining had not been acceptable. Intricate mosaics and networks of segmented and tightly stratified social structure and political power made the task of bringing all of India under one umbrella so difficult to achieve that processes of disintegration and fragmentation tended to undermine processes of political integration and unification. This chapter focuses on how and why such obstacles to political integration were overcome. It explains how fissiparous forces, tendencies, and traditions were gradually reversed, and how this was done by means and methods, manpower and money, that were a hybrid of indigenous and foreign influences.Less
The reasons why, prior to modern times, no single system of political power ever succeeded in bringing all of the Indian continent and its peoples under the rule of a single imperium can be found within cultural, social, religious, and political complexities and dynamics of the continent itself. Between hundreds, if not thousands, of ethnically distinct respectable castes, intermarriage or interdining had not been acceptable. Intricate mosaics and networks of segmented and tightly stratified social structure and political power made the task of bringing all of India under one umbrella so difficult to achieve that processes of disintegration and fragmentation tended to undermine processes of political integration and unification. This chapter focuses on how and why such obstacles to political integration were overcome. It explains how fissiparous forces, tendencies, and traditions were gradually reversed, and how this was done by means and methods, manpower and money, that were a hybrid of indigenous and foreign influences.
P. J. Cain
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198203902
- eISBN:
- 9780191719141
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198203902.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The year 2002 saw the centenary of J. A. Hobson's critique of British imperial expansion, Imperialism: A Study. This book marked the occasion by evaluating Hobson's writings on Imperialism from his ...
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The year 2002 saw the centenary of J. A. Hobson's critique of British imperial expansion, Imperialism: A Study. This book marked the occasion by evaluating Hobson's writings on Imperialism from his days as a journalist in London to his death in 1940. The early chapters chart Hobson's progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to radical critic of empire by 1898. This is followed by an account of the origins of Imperialism and a close analysis of the text in the context of contemporary debates. Two chapters cover Hobson's later writings, showing their richness and variety, and analysing his decision to republish Imperialism in 1938. The book discusses the reception of Imperialism and its emergence as a ‘classic’ by the late 1930s and ends with a detailed discussion of the relevance of the arguments of Imperialism to present-day historians.Less
The year 2002 saw the centenary of J. A. Hobson's critique of British imperial expansion, Imperialism: A Study. This book marked the occasion by evaluating Hobson's writings on Imperialism from his days as a journalist in London to his death in 1940. The early chapters chart Hobson's progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to radical critic of empire by 1898. This is followed by an account of the origins of Imperialism and a close analysis of the text in the context of contemporary debates. Two chapters cover Hobson's later writings, showing their richness and variety, and analysing his decision to republish Imperialism in 1938. The book discusses the reception of Imperialism and its emergence as a ‘classic’ by the late 1930s and ends with a detailed discussion of the relevance of the arguments of Imperialism to present-day historians.
Noel Maurer
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691155821
- eISBN:
- 9781400846603
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691155821.003.0002
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, International
This chapter examines how the Democratic opponents of imperial expansion prevented the emergence of an empire trap in the Philippines and occupied Cuba. The McKinley administration annexed the ...
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This chapter examines how the Democratic opponents of imperial expansion prevented the emergence of an empire trap in the Philippines and occupied Cuba. The McKinley administration annexed the Philippines for strategic reasons, but anti-imperialists used their blocking power in the Senate to restrict American investment in the islands deliberately, in order to prevent the emergence of a domestic interest group favoring the islands' retention as U.S. territory. Similar laws were passed for Cuba as long as a U.S. occupation government remained. The anti-imperialists failed to grant the Philippines immediate independence, but they did succeed in retarding U.S. investment. As a result, no “Philippine lobby” ever emerged to support the permanent retention of the archipelago.Less
This chapter examines how the Democratic opponents of imperial expansion prevented the emergence of an empire trap in the Philippines and occupied Cuba. The McKinley administration annexed the Philippines for strategic reasons, but anti-imperialists used their blocking power in the Senate to restrict American investment in the islands deliberately, in order to prevent the emergence of a domestic interest group favoring the islands' retention as U.S. territory. Similar laws were passed for Cuba as long as a U.S. occupation government remained. The anti-imperialists failed to grant the Philippines immediate independence, but they did succeed in retarding U.S. investment. As a result, no “Philippine lobby” ever emerged to support the permanent retention of the archipelago.
Dale C. Copeland
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691161587
- eISBN:
- 9781400852703
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691161587.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter explores the forty-five-year period after the Crimean War when great powers of all stripes fell into an intense competition for formal political control over third-party territories. The ...
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This chapter explores the forty-five-year period after the Crimean War when great powers of all stripes fell into an intense competition for formal political control over third-party territories. The competition greatly increased the level of tension in the system, even if most of the struggles stopped short of a direct great power war. Most significantly, of course, France, Britain, and Germany dove into a scramble for colonial territory after 1880 that drew most of Africa and large parts of Asia into the European orbit. On two particular occasions—the Austro-Prussian “Seven Weeks' War” of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870—large-scale war between two great powers did break out. The purpose of the chapter is to uncover to what extent and in what manner economic interdependence shaped the struggles and wars of this almost-half-century period.Less
This chapter explores the forty-five-year period after the Crimean War when great powers of all stripes fell into an intense competition for formal political control over third-party territories. The competition greatly increased the level of tension in the system, even if most of the struggles stopped short of a direct great power war. Most significantly, of course, France, Britain, and Germany dove into a scramble for colonial territory after 1880 that drew most of Africa and large parts of Asia into the European orbit. On two particular occasions—the Austro-Prussian “Seven Weeks' War” of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870—large-scale war between two great powers did break out. The purpose of the chapter is to uncover to what extent and in what manner economic interdependence shaped the struggles and wars of this almost-half-century period.
James Tully
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264393
- eISBN:
- 9780191734571
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264393.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter aims to provide a historical sketch of select major lineages in contemporary western imperialism. Contemporary western imperialism is the product of the 500 years of complex interactions ...
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This chapter aims to provide a historical sketch of select major lineages in contemporary western imperialism. Contemporary western imperialism is the product of the 500 years of complex interactions between European and Euro-American imperial expansion and non-European responses. Contemporary imperialism is often studied under different headings such as neo-colonialism, open-door colonialism, post-colonialism, informal imperialism, empire, and so on. This historical sketch is limited to the aspects of contemporary imperialism collated under the heading of informal imperialism. It begins with a summary of the defining characteristics of contemporary informal imperialism. The succeeding sections describe the major historical lineages of these characteristics. The final section summarizes contemporary imperialism with the aim of a better understanding of its origins and ancestry.Less
This chapter aims to provide a historical sketch of select major lineages in contemporary western imperialism. Contemporary western imperialism is the product of the 500 years of complex interactions between European and Euro-American imperial expansion and non-European responses. Contemporary imperialism is often studied under different headings such as neo-colonialism, open-door colonialism, post-colonialism, informal imperialism, empire, and so on. This historical sketch is limited to the aspects of contemporary imperialism collated under the heading of informal imperialism. It begins with a summary of the defining characteristics of contemporary informal imperialism. The succeeding sections describe the major historical lineages of these characteristics. The final section summarizes contemporary imperialism with the aim of a better understanding of its origins and ancestry.
B. R. Tomlinson
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198205654
- eISBN:
- 9780191676734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198205654.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History, British and Irish Modern History
The two ‘paramount’ reasons for ‘the transformation of the earth’ in the modern period have been ‘the explosive increase of European population and its movement overseas, and the rise of the modern ...
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The two ‘paramount’ reasons for ‘the transformation of the earth’ in the modern period have been ‘the explosive increase of European population and its movement overseas, and the rise of the modern capitalist economy and its evolution into industrialism’. Both these phenomena peaked during the second half of the nineteenth century, and both were closely linked to British Imperial expansion in the periphery. In the periphery, the suppliers of Britain can be divided into two broad categories, determined by their suitability for colonization by European organisms, technology, values, and production methods. The economic expansion of the periphery in the nineteenth century Imperial system was largely driven by the resource needs of European industrial economies. Today, it is Asian capitalism, rather than that of industrial Europe and North America, that shows the developing countries of the world their future, and that shows up the limitations of the economic expansion outside Europe wrought by nineteenth century imperialism.Less
The two ‘paramount’ reasons for ‘the transformation of the earth’ in the modern period have been ‘the explosive increase of European population and its movement overseas, and the rise of the modern capitalist economy and its evolution into industrialism’. Both these phenomena peaked during the second half of the nineteenth century, and both were closely linked to British Imperial expansion in the periphery. In the periphery, the suppliers of Britain can be divided into two broad categories, determined by their suitability for colonization by European organisms, technology, values, and production methods. The economic expansion of the periphery in the nineteenth century Imperial system was largely driven by the resource needs of European industrial economies. Today, it is Asian capitalism, rather than that of industrial Europe and North America, that shows the developing countries of the world their future, and that shows up the limitations of the economic expansion outside Europe wrought by nineteenth century imperialism.
Robert Travers
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264393
- eISBN:
- 9780191734571
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264393.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The consolidation of political economy as a distinct branch of the science of politics was simultaneous with the expansion and diversification of the overseas British Empire. This new political ...
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The consolidation of political economy as a distinct branch of the science of politics was simultaneous with the expansion and diversification of the overseas British Empire. This new political economy was often regarded as distant from the enterprise of imperial expansion. Political economists criticized the mercantile system of restricted colonial trades and monopoly corporations. This chapter discusses the political economy in relation to the imperial politics in India. It takes into focus the problems of imperial politics in India, the first of which was that the East India Company’s growing empire barely fitted into the notions of a British ‘empire of liberty’ which was perceived to be ‘commercial, Protestant, maritime, and free’; and the second was the British ignorance of and lack of sympathy for local customs and manners. In the chapter, the British theorists James Steuart and Adam Smith are closely examined. Both addressed the emerging empire of British India as a dilemma in political economy. Their thinking on Indian affairs posed challenges to the Company rule in India, but at the same time offered theoretical and conceptual resources for the unpopular Company government.Less
The consolidation of political economy as a distinct branch of the science of politics was simultaneous with the expansion and diversification of the overseas British Empire. This new political economy was often regarded as distant from the enterprise of imperial expansion. Political economists criticized the mercantile system of restricted colonial trades and monopoly corporations. This chapter discusses the political economy in relation to the imperial politics in India. It takes into focus the problems of imperial politics in India, the first of which was that the East India Company’s growing empire barely fitted into the notions of a British ‘empire of liberty’ which was perceived to be ‘commercial, Protestant, maritime, and free’; and the second was the British ignorance of and lack of sympathy for local customs and manners. In the chapter, the British theorists James Steuart and Adam Smith are closely examined. Both addressed the emerging empire of British India as a dilemma in political economy. Their thinking on Indian affairs posed challenges to the Company rule in India, but at the same time offered theoretical and conceptual resources for the unpopular Company government.
Robert Kubicek
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198205654
- eISBN:
- 9780191676734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198205654.003.0012
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History, British and Irish Modern History
Technological changes, whatever their origins, have often been turned to imperial purposes. In line with this, this chapter argues that various technologies, especially when combined, enhanced the ...
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Technological changes, whatever their origins, have often been turned to imperial purposes. In line with this, this chapter argues that various technologies, especially when combined, enhanced the state's abilities to expand and dominate. They also affected the timing of the Imperial state's expansion, and featured significantly in the dynamics of commercial and industrial capitalism. In both the formal and informal British Empire, in temperate and tropical colonies, their transfer gave Imperial agents more scope for intervention. Technologies empowered the metropole but also, to some degree, strengthened the periphery. They also led diverse peoples to pursue the same material ends by employing similar techniques. Indigenous acquisition of expatriate tools might strengthen autonomy, but more often it paved the way for more pervasive alien influence. The intensified or ‘new’ imperialism has been seen as a product of a particular stage of finance capital, the rise of ethnic antagonisms fuelled by racist beliefs, and the geopolitical priorities of the ‘official mind’.Less
Technological changes, whatever their origins, have often been turned to imperial purposes. In line with this, this chapter argues that various technologies, especially when combined, enhanced the state's abilities to expand and dominate. They also affected the timing of the Imperial state's expansion, and featured significantly in the dynamics of commercial and industrial capitalism. In both the formal and informal British Empire, in temperate and tropical colonies, their transfer gave Imperial agents more scope for intervention. Technologies empowered the metropole but also, to some degree, strengthened the periphery. They also led diverse peoples to pursue the same material ends by employing similar techniques. Indigenous acquisition of expatriate tools might strengthen autonomy, but more often it paved the way for more pervasive alien influence. The intensified or ‘new’ imperialism has been seen as a product of a particular stage of finance capital, the rise of ethnic antagonisms fuelled by racist beliefs, and the geopolitical priorities of the ‘official mind’.
Patrick K. O’ Brien
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198205630
- eISBN:
- 9780191676710
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198205630.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter provides a discussion on trade, economy, the fiscal state, and the expansion of the British Empire from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. In particular, it explores the ...
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This chapter provides a discussion on trade, economy, the fiscal state, and the expansion of the British Empire from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. In particular, it explores the connections between economic growth and Imperial expansion. It focuses on British domestic resources, latent and evolving, which made possible the acquisition of territory overseas and the enforcement of contracts required for long-term commercial relations with the Americas, Asia, Africa, and eventually, Australasia. It investigates from whom, from what, and from where in the economy the outward thrust to venture outside the realm and beyond Europe originated. It asks what structural and political conditions sustained the momentum of the thrust through major wars and minor conflicts with European powers between 1689 and the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which marked the final defeat of Iberian, Dutch, and above all French pretensions to contain British imperialism and commerce with Asia, Africa, and the Americas.Less
This chapter provides a discussion on trade, economy, the fiscal state, and the expansion of the British Empire from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. In particular, it explores the connections between economic growth and Imperial expansion. It focuses on British domestic resources, latent and evolving, which made possible the acquisition of territory overseas and the enforcement of contracts required for long-term commercial relations with the Americas, Asia, Africa, and eventually, Australasia. It investigates from whom, from what, and from where in the economy the outward thrust to venture outside the realm and beyond Europe originated. It asks what structural and political conditions sustained the momentum of the thrust through major wars and minor conflicts with European powers between 1689 and the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which marked the final defeat of Iberian, Dutch, and above all French pretensions to contain British imperialism and commerce with Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Wayne E. Lee (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814753088
- eISBN:
- 9780814765272
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814753088.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Military History
The early modern period (c. 1500–1800) of world history is characterized by the establishment and aggressive expansion of European empires, and warfare between imperial powers and indigenous peoples ...
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The early modern period (c. 1500–1800) of world history is characterized by the establishment and aggressive expansion of European empires, and warfare between imperial powers and indigenous peoples was a central component of the quest for global dominance. From the Portuguese in Africa to the Russians and Ottomans in Central Asia, empire builders could not avoid military interactions with native populations, and many discovered that imperial expansion was impossible without the cooperation, and, in some cases, alliances with the natives they encountered in the new worlds they sought to rule. This book examines how intercultural interactions between Europeans and indigenous people influenced military choices and strategic action. Ranging from the Muscovites on the western steppe to the French and English in North America, the book analyzes how diplomatic and military systems were designed to accommodate the demands and expectations of local peoples, who aided the imperial powers even as they often became subordinated to them. Chapters investigate the analytical problem from a variety of levels, from the detailed case studies of the different ways indigenous peoples could be employed, to more comprehensive syntheses and theoretical examinations of diplomatic processes, ethnic soldier mobilization, and the interaction of culture and military technology.Less
The early modern period (c. 1500–1800) of world history is characterized by the establishment and aggressive expansion of European empires, and warfare between imperial powers and indigenous peoples was a central component of the quest for global dominance. From the Portuguese in Africa to the Russians and Ottomans in Central Asia, empire builders could not avoid military interactions with native populations, and many discovered that imperial expansion was impossible without the cooperation, and, in some cases, alliances with the natives they encountered in the new worlds they sought to rule. This book examines how intercultural interactions between Europeans and indigenous people influenced military choices and strategic action. Ranging from the Muscovites on the western steppe to the French and English in North America, the book analyzes how diplomatic and military systems were designed to accommodate the demands and expectations of local peoples, who aided the imperial powers even as they often became subordinated to them. Chapters investigate the analytical problem from a variety of levels, from the detailed case studies of the different ways indigenous peoples could be employed, to more comprehensive syntheses and theoretical examinations of diplomatic processes, ethnic soldier mobilization, and the interaction of culture and military technology.
Patrick H. Hase
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789622098992
- eISBN:
- 9789882207592
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Hong Kong University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5790/hongkong/9789622098992.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
The year 1899 was the pinnacle of Imperialism as a belief-system in Britain. Britain's continual Imperial expansion, throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, had led the British to ...
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The year 1899 was the pinnacle of Imperialism as a belief-system in Britain. Britain's continual Imperial expansion, throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, had led the British to believe in themselves and their Imperial role with unshakeable self-confidence and pride. It was also marked off by a series of small colonial military campaigns, in which the British armed forces were almost uniformly victorious. The detailed history of the six-day campaign is given, but it is desirable to preface it with a brief account of the British Imperialist belief-system which underpinned it. The British Imperialism in the late nineteenth century is first introduced. The chapter then describes Hong Kong in the age of Imperialism.Less
The year 1899 was the pinnacle of Imperialism as a belief-system in Britain. Britain's continual Imperial expansion, throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, had led the British to believe in themselves and their Imperial role with unshakeable self-confidence and pride. It was also marked off by a series of small colonial military campaigns, in which the British armed forces were almost uniformly victorious. The detailed history of the six-day campaign is given, but it is desirable to preface it with a brief account of the British Imperialist belief-system which underpinned it. The British Imperialism in the late nineteenth century is first introduced. The chapter then describes Hong Kong in the age of Imperialism.
Richard Drayton
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198205630
- eISBN:
- 9780191676710
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198205630.003.0011
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter provides a discussion on knowledge and the British Empire. The alliance between philosophy and Empire was not merely a meeting of utility and opportunity. By the late 17th century, the ...
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This chapter provides a discussion on knowledge and the British Empire. The alliance between philosophy and Empire was not merely a meeting of utility and opportunity. By the late 17th century, the pursuit of knowledge, commerce and colonies, religious piety, and a nascent patriotism were tightly bound together. The idea that knowledge might be the basis of more efficient statecraft found corresponding encouragement. The more intimate involvement of knowledge and British power after 1750 created important opportunities for scientific professionals. The chapter also describes how Imperial expansion significantly shaped Britain’s domestic intellectual life. The direct impact of expansion is clear on some branches of knowledge. It remains possible to construct Britain’s intellectual relations with its 18th-century Empire as the story of ‘expansion’.Less
This chapter provides a discussion on knowledge and the British Empire. The alliance between philosophy and Empire was not merely a meeting of utility and opportunity. By the late 17th century, the pursuit of knowledge, commerce and colonies, religious piety, and a nascent patriotism were tightly bound together. The idea that knowledge might be the basis of more efficient statecraft found corresponding encouragement. The more intimate involvement of knowledge and British power after 1750 created important opportunities for scientific professionals. The chapter also describes how Imperial expansion significantly shaped Britain’s domestic intellectual life. The direct impact of expansion is clear on some branches of knowledge. It remains possible to construct Britain’s intellectual relations with its 18th-century Empire as the story of ‘expansion’.
Robert Thomas Tierney
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520265783
- eISBN:
- 9780520947665
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520265783.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
This chapter analyzes Momotarō (peach boy), Japan's most famous folktale, and Momotarō's transformation in the early twentieth century into an allegory for Japanese expansion toward the South Seas. ...
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This chapter analyzes Momotarō (peach boy), Japan's most famous folktale, and Momotarō's transformation in the early twentieth century into an allegory for Japanese expansion toward the South Seas. To overcome the dearth of overseas adventurers in Japanese history, advocates of imperial expansion championed the mobilization of this folklore hero to spark the interest of Japanese youth in the acquisition of overseas colonies. Nitobe Inazō saw Momotarō as a pedagogical tool that could fire the imagination of Japan's insular youth and spur them on to colonize the South Seas. Other writers believed that Momotarō was, at best, a flawed model for Japanese colonialism, and even blamed the failures of Japanese colonial policy on his harmful influence. In 1925, Akutagawa published a satire of Momotarō in which the peach boy is portrayed as a cruel invader who brutally attacks a group of humanized ogres living peacefully on an island paradise in the South Seas. At the end of this story, young ogres counterattack and fight to win the independence of their homeland. At the intersection of folklore, propaganda, and parody, Momotarō emerges as a contested site for debating the Japanese imperial project and for defining self and other in the age of empire.Less
This chapter analyzes Momotarō (peach boy), Japan's most famous folktale, and Momotarō's transformation in the early twentieth century into an allegory for Japanese expansion toward the South Seas. To overcome the dearth of overseas adventurers in Japanese history, advocates of imperial expansion championed the mobilization of this folklore hero to spark the interest of Japanese youth in the acquisition of overseas colonies. Nitobe Inazō saw Momotarō as a pedagogical tool that could fire the imagination of Japan's insular youth and spur them on to colonize the South Seas. Other writers believed that Momotarō was, at best, a flawed model for Japanese colonialism, and even blamed the failures of Japanese colonial policy on his harmful influence. In 1925, Akutagawa published a satire of Momotarō in which the peach boy is portrayed as a cruel invader who brutally attacks a group of humanized ogres living peacefully on an island paradise in the South Seas. At the end of this story, young ogres counterattack and fight to win the independence of their homeland. At the intersection of folklore, propaganda, and parody, Momotarō emerges as a contested site for debating the Japanese imperial project and for defining self and other in the age of empire.
Rudolph J. Vecoli and Francesco Durante
Donna R. Gabaccia (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780823279869
- eISBN:
- 9780823281428
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fordham/9780823279869.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Cultural Studies
Italian adventurer and sea captain Celso Cesare Moreno traveled the world lying, scheming, and building an extensive patron/client network to establish his reputation as a middleman and person of ...
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Italian adventurer and sea captain Celso Cesare Moreno traveled the world lying, scheming, and building an extensive patron/client network to establish his reputation as a middleman and person of significance. Through his machinations, Moreno became a critical player in the expansion of western trade and imperialism in Asia, the trafficking of migrant workers and children in the Atlantic, the conflicts of Americans and Native Hawaiians over the fate of Hawaii, and the imperial competitions of French, British, Italian, and American governments in an important era of imperial expansion during the nineteenth century. This book teases out Moreno's enormous peculiarities and fascination as well as his significance. It examines how he repeatedly sought a role at the center of a globalizing world with gusto and had no qualms about lying or betraying others. Dragged by his uncontrollable polemical passions, the old Captain died alone, unloved by anyone and with no meaningful relations to others. With its focus on Moreno, this book illustrates some of the most puzzling cultural traits of emigrant Italian elites. Called a “carpetbagger,” “land pirate,” “extinct volcano,” among many other derogatory monikers, Celso emerges in this fascinating biography as a multifaceted, chameleon-like personality not reducible to a single epithet.Less
Italian adventurer and sea captain Celso Cesare Moreno traveled the world lying, scheming, and building an extensive patron/client network to establish his reputation as a middleman and person of significance. Through his machinations, Moreno became a critical player in the expansion of western trade and imperialism in Asia, the trafficking of migrant workers and children in the Atlantic, the conflicts of Americans and Native Hawaiians over the fate of Hawaii, and the imperial competitions of French, British, Italian, and American governments in an important era of imperial expansion during the nineteenth century. This book teases out Moreno's enormous peculiarities and fascination as well as his significance. It examines how he repeatedly sought a role at the center of a globalizing world with gusto and had no qualms about lying or betraying others. Dragged by his uncontrollable polemical passions, the old Captain died alone, unloved by anyone and with no meaningful relations to others. With its focus on Moreno, this book illustrates some of the most puzzling cultural traits of emigrant Italian elites. Called a “carpetbagger,” “land pirate,” “extinct volcano,” among many other derogatory monikers, Celso emerges in this fascinating biography as a multifaceted, chameleon-like personality not reducible to a single epithet.
Erik Goldstein
- Published in print:
- 1991
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198215844
- eISBN:
- 9780191678226
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198215844.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, Military History
This chapter examines how Great Britain's peace settlement plan materialized at the Paris peace conference in France. The British delegation did not have an overall strategic view of the post-war ...
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This chapter examines how Great Britain's peace settlement plan materialized at the Paris peace conference in France. The British delegation did not have an overall strategic view of the post-war world given the complex concerns of the Empire but the delegates were able to come through with basic principles which did not mutually contradict one another and which run right through British thinking on the post-war order. These principles were the New Europe, the balance of power, and imperial expansion.Less
This chapter examines how Great Britain's peace settlement plan materialized at the Paris peace conference in France. The British delegation did not have an overall strategic view of the post-war world given the complex concerns of the Empire but the delegates were able to come through with basic principles which did not mutually contradict one another and which run right through British thinking on the post-war order. These principles were the New Europe, the balance of power, and imperial expansion.
Tiffiny A. Tung
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780813037677
- eISBN:
- 9780813042183
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813037677.003.0003
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology
This chapter gives a summary of the history of Wari studies and the current state of knowledge on the Wari Empire, and also summarizes the archaeological evidence for Wari presence or influence in ...
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This chapter gives a summary of the history of Wari studies and the current state of knowledge on the Wari Empire, and also summarizes the archaeological evidence for Wari presence or influence in various parts of the ancient Andes. Three archaeological populations are the focus of this study, and the chapter describes the cultural context for each of them. These include the site of Conchopata in the imperial heartland and the sites of Beringa and La Real in the Majes Valley in southern Peru.Less
This chapter gives a summary of the history of Wari studies and the current state of knowledge on the Wari Empire, and also summarizes the archaeological evidence for Wari presence or influence in various parts of the ancient Andes. Three archaeological populations are the focus of this study, and the chapter describes the cultural context for each of them. These include the site of Conchopata in the imperial heartland and the sites of Beringa and La Real in the Majes Valley in southern Peru.
Wayne E. Lee
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814753088
- eISBN:
- 9780814765272
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814753088.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, Military History
This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to explore the role of local people in the success or failure of imperial expansion. Far from being mere victims, these people found ways to ...
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This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to explore the role of local people in the success or failure of imperial expansion. Far from being mere victims, these people found ways to profit from imperial maneuverings: they could find employment and profit as allies, or they might direct the interests and energies of imperial powers against their traditional enemies. Indeed, imperial “expansion” was very often illusory, and Europeans' ability to project power actually depended entirely on local cooperation. The remainder of the chapter discusses the model set by the Spanish empire to which other European powers aspired; and the importance of intercultural alliances in the success of imperial expansion, which in turn resulted in new forms of warfare.Less
This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to explore the role of local people in the success or failure of imperial expansion. Far from being mere victims, these people found ways to profit from imperial maneuverings: they could find employment and profit as allies, or they might direct the interests and energies of imperial powers against their traditional enemies. Indeed, imperial “expansion” was very often illusory, and Europeans' ability to project power actually depended entirely on local cooperation. The remainder of the chapter discusses the model set by the Spanish empire to which other European powers aspired; and the importance of intercultural alliances in the success of imperial expansion, which in turn resulted in new forms of warfare.
David R. Jones
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814753088
- eISBN:
- 9780814765272
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814753088.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, Military History
This chapter discusses how Muscovite “imperialism” on the Pontic Steppe differed from the colonial empire building of the early modern west European states. First, Russian expansion and colonialism ...
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This chapter discusses how Muscovite “imperialism” on the Pontic Steppe differed from the colonial empire building of the early modern west European states. First, Russian expansion and colonialism before 1800 in the south and east was largely inspired by the desire to neutralize or remove any perceived or real threat by managing it, absorbing it, or pushing it further away. Thus the locales of early Russian “imperialism” were always in an adjacent (not some distant maritime) theater, and any “colonies” acquired were in the immediate proximity of the “imperial metropolis.” Second, unlike the situation in the Americas and most cases elsewhere, all the rival claimants to power on the Pontic Steppe after 1480 had originally arrived from elsewhere. All therefore were “settler” (rather than “indigenous”) societies, and by that date all shared a history of more than two centuries of interaction. Lacking the military power to secure their extensive steppe frontiers, Moscow's rulers were forced to resort to the traditional modes of steppe diplomacy and elite interaction with its treaties and alliances, buttressed by sacred oaths, acts of gift giving, exchanges of hostages, and, on occasion, dynastic marriages. Thanks to these traditions and to the introduction of the pomestie form of landholding, Moscow gradually absorbed as vassals the elites of new lands acquired before 1680 and then integrated them into the Russian upper class or gentry.Less
This chapter discusses how Muscovite “imperialism” on the Pontic Steppe differed from the colonial empire building of the early modern west European states. First, Russian expansion and colonialism before 1800 in the south and east was largely inspired by the desire to neutralize or remove any perceived or real threat by managing it, absorbing it, or pushing it further away. Thus the locales of early Russian “imperialism” were always in an adjacent (not some distant maritime) theater, and any “colonies” acquired were in the immediate proximity of the “imperial metropolis.” Second, unlike the situation in the Americas and most cases elsewhere, all the rival claimants to power on the Pontic Steppe after 1480 had originally arrived from elsewhere. All therefore were “settler” (rather than “indigenous”) societies, and by that date all shared a history of more than two centuries of interaction. Lacking the military power to secure their extensive steppe frontiers, Moscow's rulers were forced to resort to the traditional modes of steppe diplomacy and elite interaction with its treaties and alliances, buttressed by sacred oaths, acts of gift giving, exchanges of hostages, and, on occasion, dynastic marriages. Thanks to these traditions and to the introduction of the pomestie form of landholding, Moscow gradually absorbed as vassals the elites of new lands acquired before 1680 and then integrated them into the Russian upper class or gentry.
Lisa Voigt
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780807831991
- eISBN:
- 9781469600284
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9780807831991.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: early to 18th Century
This book describes how European publics were captivated by tales of Christians held prisoner by religious and political adversaries. Imperial expansion, spearheaded by Portugal and Spain in the ...
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This book describes how European publics were captivated by tales of Christians held prisoner by religious and political adversaries. Imperial expansion, spearheaded by Portugal and Spain in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, increased the geographical range in which subjects could fall into enemy hands as well as the forms that narratives of captivity could take. Imperial administrators heard survivors' oral reports. Pirates and privateers interrogated captured enemy pilots, who, in turn, presented accounts to their own sovereigns upon their release. Inquisition officials evaluated depositions attesting to ransomed captives' religious integrity. This study explores the role of captivity in the production of knowledge, identity, and authority in the early modern imperial world by examining texts written by and about European and Euro-American captives in a variety of languages and genres.Less
This book describes how European publics were captivated by tales of Christians held prisoner by religious and political adversaries. Imperial expansion, spearheaded by Portugal and Spain in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, increased the geographical range in which subjects could fall into enemy hands as well as the forms that narratives of captivity could take. Imperial administrators heard survivors' oral reports. Pirates and privateers interrogated captured enemy pilots, who, in turn, presented accounts to their own sovereigns upon their release. Inquisition officials evaluated depositions attesting to ransomed captives' religious integrity. This study explores the role of captivity in the production of knowledge, identity, and authority in the early modern imperial world by examining texts written by and about European and Euro-American captives in a variety of languages and genres.
