Ian Clark
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199297009
- eISBN:
- 9780191711428
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199297009.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
Unlike the other cases, the two conferences held at The Hague are not normally identified with a single normative principle. Nonetheless, the meetings were characterized by a great emphasis upon ...
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Unlike the other cases, the two conferences held at The Hague are not normally identified with a single normative principle. Nonetheless, the meetings were characterized by a great emphasis upon humanitarian concerns, and also upon the need for the acts of state representatives to be endorsed by a wider public. This was best captured by the language of the ‘public conscience’ employed during the conference and embodied in the famous Martens clause. The first conference was held in response to the Imperial Rescript of Tsar Nicholas II, and the subject matter covered disarmament, the laws of war, and international arbitration. The meetings were the subject of major attention from a variety of popular pressure groups, much of it orchestrated by the international peace movement, and publicists such as W. T. Stead. The long term significance, however, lay in the idea that there was a wider public constituency to which international legitimacy principles had to appeal.Less
Unlike the other cases, the two conferences held at The Hague are not normally identified with a single normative principle. Nonetheless, the meetings were characterized by a great emphasis upon humanitarian concerns, and also upon the need for the acts of state representatives to be endorsed by a wider public. This was best captured by the language of the ‘public conscience’ employed during the conference and embodied in the famous Martens clause. The first conference was held in response to the Imperial Rescript of Tsar Nicholas II, and the subject matter covered disarmament, the laws of war, and international arbitration. The meetings were the subject of major attention from a variety of popular pressure groups, much of it orchestrated by the international peace movement, and publicists such as W. T. Stead. The long term significance, however, lay in the idea that there was a wider public constituency to which international legitimacy principles had to appeal.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.07
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
As the international crisis intensified, issues of peace and war were pushed to the front of British politics and peace activists, or pacifists as they were increasingly known, increased in number. ...
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As the international crisis intensified, issues of peace and war were pushed to the front of British politics and peace activists, or pacifists as they were increasingly known, increased in number. In the years prior to World War I, the peace movement passed into a new and more powerful phase. The existing peace associations welcomed this increase in activity and, by means of a series of National Peace Congresses and the recently founded National Peace Council, achieved some success in marshalling it into a united campaign. This chapter discusses the formation of the Rationalist Peace Society, the Church of England Peace League, the Associated Councils of Churches for Fostering Friendly Relations between the British and German Peoples, and the Anglo-German Friendship Society; the emergence of the Norman Angell movement or angellism; the International Arbitration and Peace Association; the International Arbitration League; the Peace Society; naval armaments; and anti-militarism. The pre-war peace movement's influence on British foreign policy is also considered.Less
As the international crisis intensified, issues of peace and war were pushed to the front of British politics and peace activists, or pacifists as they were increasingly known, increased in number. In the years prior to World War I, the peace movement passed into a new and more powerful phase. The existing peace associations welcomed this increase in activity and, by means of a series of National Peace Congresses and the recently founded National Peace Council, achieved some success in marshalling it into a united campaign. This chapter discusses the formation of the Rationalist Peace Society, the Church of England Peace League, the Associated Councils of Churches for Fostering Friendly Relations between the British and German Peoples, and the Anglo-German Friendship Society; the emergence of the Norman Angell movement or angellism; the International Arbitration and Peace Association; the International Arbitration League; the Peace Society; naval armaments; and anti-militarism. The pre-war peace movement's influence on British foreign policy is also considered.
Paul Laity
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
This book covers the late Victorian and Edwardian peace movement, the campaigns of which made a significant impact on political debate, especially during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), the ...
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This book covers the late Victorian and Edwardian peace movement, the campaigns of which made a significant impact on political debate, especially during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), the Bulgarian Atrocities campaign (1876–1878), Britain's conflict with Egypt (1882), the South African War (1899–1902), and the intensifying international crisis before 1914. The movement's activists included Richard Cobden, Herbert Spencer, Keir Hardie, J. A. Hobson, and Norman Angell. Among the first to benefit from the opening of the Peace Society Archive, the book focuses on the specialised associations at the heart of the peace movement. It identifies the existence of different programmes for the achievement of a just, permanent peace, and offers a new interpretation of the reaction of peace campaigners to war in 1914.Less
This book covers the late Victorian and Edwardian peace movement, the campaigns of which made a significant impact on political debate, especially during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), the Bulgarian Atrocities campaign (1876–1878), Britain's conflict with Egypt (1882), the South African War (1899–1902), and the intensifying international crisis before 1914. The movement's activists included Richard Cobden, Herbert Spencer, Keir Hardie, J. A. Hobson, and Norman Angell. Among the first to benefit from the opening of the Peace Society Archive, the book focuses on the specialised associations at the heart of the peace movement. It identifies the existence of different programmes for the achievement of a just, permanent peace, and offers a new interpretation of the reaction of peace campaigners to war in 1914.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.05
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
In 1889, the Conservative government in Britain launched a new programme of military shipbuilding that would set off an arms race. In the same year, however, nearly seventy international congresses ...
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In 1889, the Conservative government in Britain launched a new programme of military shipbuilding that would set off an arms race. In the same year, however, nearly seventy international congresses were held in Paris to celebrate the centenary of the Revolution, including the inaugurating congress of the Second International and the first in a series of Universal Peace Congresses. Peace activists were hopeful that such conferences would help to counteract the reactionary tendencies of the time and go some way towards binding together the peoples of Europe so strongly that war would become impossible. The British representatives at the Universal Peace Congresses included members of a new peace association, the Friends' Peace Committee. This chapter also discusses the appeal made by W. T. Stead for the British war budgets of 1894 to be a high-water mark until the end of the century, the International Arbitration League's campaign for an Anglo-American arbitration treaty, British foreign policy, and the Concert of Europe.Less
In 1889, the Conservative government in Britain launched a new programme of military shipbuilding that would set off an arms race. In the same year, however, nearly seventy international congresses were held in Paris to celebrate the centenary of the Revolution, including the inaugurating congress of the Second International and the first in a series of Universal Peace Congresses. Peace activists were hopeful that such conferences would help to counteract the reactionary tendencies of the time and go some way towards binding together the peoples of Europe so strongly that war would become impossible. The British representatives at the Universal Peace Congresses included members of a new peace association, the Friends' Peace Committee. This chapter also discusses the appeal made by W. T. Stead for the British war budgets of 1894 to be a high-water mark until the end of the century, the International Arbitration League's campaign for an Anglo-American arbitration treaty, British foreign policy, and the Concert of Europe.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.06
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
In 1898, Russian Tsar Nicholas II, partly for reasons of his country's interest and partly from humanitarian impulse, invited the powers to a conference to discuss the worrying build-up of armaments ...
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In 1898, Russian Tsar Nicholas II, partly for reasons of his country's interest and partly from humanitarian impulse, invited the powers to a conference to discuss the worrying build-up of armaments and ‘the most effectual means of ensuring to all peoples the benefits of a real and durable peace’. The move was hailed by the peace associations as one of the most remarkable events of human history. W. T. Stead led a campaign in support of the Tsar, on a much bigger scale than the peace associations in Britain could have managed on their own. This chapter discusses the Hague conferences; the South African War, which presented the British peace movement with its greatest challenge since the Crimean War; how the Peace Society lost credibility within the peace movement because of its record on the South African War; and the International Arbitration League's position on the war.Less
In 1898, Russian Tsar Nicholas II, partly for reasons of his country's interest and partly from humanitarian impulse, invited the powers to a conference to discuss the worrying build-up of armaments and ‘the most effectual means of ensuring to all peoples the benefits of a real and durable peace’. The move was hailed by the peace associations as one of the most remarkable events of human history. W. T. Stead led a campaign in support of the Tsar, on a much bigger scale than the peace associations in Britain could have managed on their own. This chapter discusses the Hague conferences; the South African War, which presented the British peace movement with its greatest challenge since the Crimean War; how the Peace Society lost credibility within the peace movement because of its record on the South African War; and the International Arbitration League's position on the war.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198226741
- eISBN:
- 9780191678660
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198226741.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
From 1832 the pilot light burned more fiercely as the Peace Society turned itself into a pressure group. This overtly political role was made possible by a new domestic environment in which ...
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From 1832 the pilot light burned more fiercely as the Peace Society turned itself into a pressure group. This overtly political role was made possible by a new domestic environment in which governments made concessions and reform campaigns burgeoned. Joseph Sturge became the peace movement’s most representative figure in this period. He optimized pacifism’s declining fear in politics. Until the 1850s, Sturge also kept a certain distance from the Peace Society and encouraged independent activism, thereby symbolizing the fact that in this period a broader peace movement was coming into existence.Less
From 1832 the pilot light burned more fiercely as the Peace Society turned itself into a pressure group. This overtly political role was made possible by a new domestic environment in which governments made concessions and reform campaigns burgeoned. Joseph Sturge became the peace movement’s most representative figure in this period. He optimized pacifism’s declining fear in politics. Until the 1850s, Sturge also kept a certain distance from the Peace Society and encouraged independent activism, thereby symbolizing the fact that in this period a broader peace movement was coming into existence.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.01
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The first peace movement in Britain emerged in response to the Napoleonic Wars and involved both pacifists and pacific-ists. The pacifists were mostly, but not only, Quakers, whereas the pacific-ists ...
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The first peace movement in Britain emerged in response to the Napoleonic Wars and involved both pacifists and pacific-ists. The pacifists were mostly, but not only, Quakers, whereas the pacific-ists were Painite radicals and ‘rational Christians’ who denied that the government was engaged in a defensive struggle and called for British neutrality. In 1816, the year after the fighting finally stopped, the first British peace association was formed: the short-lived, pacific-ist Society for Abolishing War. A more successful attempt was made the same year when a group of Quakers and other Christian pacifists launched the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace, also known as the Peace Society. The Peace Society would be the most important British peace association for the next hundred years. This chapter also discusses the impact of the Crimean War on the peace movement in Britain, the emergence of Mazzinian artisan radicalism, the founding of the International Working Men's Association, and the Reform League.Less
The first peace movement in Britain emerged in response to the Napoleonic Wars and involved both pacifists and pacific-ists. The pacifists were mostly, but not only, Quakers, whereas the pacific-ists were Painite radicals and ‘rational Christians’ who denied that the government was engaged in a defensive struggle and called for British neutrality. In 1816, the year after the fighting finally stopped, the first British peace association was formed: the short-lived, pacific-ist Society for Abolishing War. A more successful attempt was made the same year when a group of Quakers and other Christian pacifists launched the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace, also known as the Peace Society. The Peace Society would be the most important British peace association for the next hundred years. This chapter also discusses the impact of the Crimean War on the peace movement in Britain, the emergence of Mazzinian artisan radicalism, the founding of the International Working Men's Association, and the Reform League.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198226741
- eISBN:
- 9780191678660
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198226741.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
During the three years following the Brussels congress, the British peace movement was to glide higher than at any time prior to the 1920s and 1930s, when hopes for a League of Nations and fear of ...
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During the three years following the Brussels congress, the British peace movement was to glide higher than at any time prior to the 1920s and 1930s, when hopes for a League of Nations and fear of the bomber were to be at their height. The period undoubtedly belonged to Richard Cobden, who not only committed himself to the peace movement in 1849, but later showed himself to be ready to risk his carefully husbanded political capital on its behalf.Less
During the three years following the Brussels congress, the British peace movement was to glide higher than at any time prior to the 1920s and 1930s, when hopes for a League of Nations and fear of the bomber were to be at their height. The period undoubtedly belonged to Richard Cobden, who not only committed himself to the peace movement in 1849, but later showed himself to be ready to risk his carefully husbanded political capital on its behalf.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198226741
- eISBN:
- 9780191678660
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198226741.003.0011
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
After three and a half decades of continuous and accelerating progress, peace thinking faced four setbacks from the autumn of 1851 onwards, caused by both domestic and international factors. The ...
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After three and a half decades of continuous and accelerating progress, peace thinking faced four setbacks from the autumn of 1851 onwards, caused by both domestic and international factors. The first was Kossuth’s tour of Britain in October and November 1851, which produced an intense disagreement between Cobden and the peace society over the extent to which it was possible to back the Hungarian nationalist leader without compromising the doctrine of non-intervention. The second was Louis Napoleon’s coup d’état of 2 December 1851, which was followed by an invasion scare, the fall of Russell’s government, and eventual passing by his Conservative Successor of a Militia Act. The third was Napoleon’s seemingly ominous adoption of the title Emperor Napoleon III in December 1852, which renewed the defence panic. The fourth was the deterioration of the Eastern Question, which dimmed prospects for a second national peace conference at Edinburgh on 12—13 October 1853 and led the following March to Britain’s involvement in the Crimean War.Less
After three and a half decades of continuous and accelerating progress, peace thinking faced four setbacks from the autumn of 1851 onwards, caused by both domestic and international factors. The first was Kossuth’s tour of Britain in October and November 1851, which produced an intense disagreement between Cobden and the peace society over the extent to which it was possible to back the Hungarian nationalist leader without compromising the doctrine of non-intervention. The second was Louis Napoleon’s coup d’état of 2 December 1851, which was followed by an invasion scare, the fall of Russell’s government, and eventual passing by his Conservative Successor of a Militia Act. The third was Napoleon’s seemingly ominous adoption of the title Emperor Napoleon III in December 1852, which renewed the defence panic. The fourth was the deterioration of the Eastern Question, which dimmed prospects for a second national peace conference at Edinburgh on 12—13 October 1853 and led the following March to Britain’s involvement in the Crimean War.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199241170
- eISBN:
- 9780191696893
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199241170.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
Britain's semi-detached geographical position has helped to give it the world's strongest peace movement. Secure enough from invasions to be influenced by an idealistic approach to international ...
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Britain's semi-detached geographical position has helped to give it the world's strongest peace movement. Secure enough from invasions to be influenced by an idealistic approach to international relations, yet too close to the Continent for isolationism to be an option, the country has provided favourable conditions for those aspiring not merely to prevent war but to abolish it. The period from the Crimean War to World War II marked the British peace movement's age of maturity. In 1854, it was obliged for the first time to contest a decision — and moreover a highly popular one — to enter war. It survived the resulting adversity, and gradually rebuilt its position as an accepted voice in public life, though by the end of the 19th century its leading associations such as the Peace Society were losing vitality as they gained respectability. Stimulated by the First World War into radicalizing and reconstructing itself through the formation of such associations as the Union of Democratic Control, the No-Conscription Fellowship, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the movement endured another period of unpopularity before enjoying unprecedented influence during the inter-war years, the era of the League of Nations Union, the Oxford Union's ‘King and country’ debate, the Peace Ballot, and the Peace Pledge Union. Finally, however, Adolf Hitler discredited much of the agenda it had been promoting the previous century or more. This book covers all significant peace associations and campaigns.Less
Britain's semi-detached geographical position has helped to give it the world's strongest peace movement. Secure enough from invasions to be influenced by an idealistic approach to international relations, yet too close to the Continent for isolationism to be an option, the country has provided favourable conditions for those aspiring not merely to prevent war but to abolish it. The period from the Crimean War to World War II marked the British peace movement's age of maturity. In 1854, it was obliged for the first time to contest a decision — and moreover a highly popular one — to enter war. It survived the resulting adversity, and gradually rebuilt its position as an accepted voice in public life, though by the end of the 19th century its leading associations such as the Peace Society were losing vitality as they gained respectability. Stimulated by the First World War into radicalizing and reconstructing itself through the formation of such associations as the Union of Democratic Control, the No-Conscription Fellowship, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the movement endured another period of unpopularity before enjoying unprecedented influence during the inter-war years, the era of the League of Nations Union, the Oxford Union's ‘King and country’ debate, the Peace Ballot, and the Peace Pledge Union. Finally, however, Adolf Hitler discredited much of the agenda it had been promoting the previous century or more. This book covers all significant peace associations and campaigns.
Robbie Lieberman
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265390
- eISBN:
- 9780191760440
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265390.003.0010
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
At the height of the McCarthy era, a period that marked the low point of both communism and peace activism in the United States, the communist left continued to promote its ideas about peace through ...
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At the height of the McCarthy era, a period that marked the low point of both communism and peace activism in the United States, the communist left continued to promote its ideas about peace through song. Beginning with the Progressive party campaign of 1948, communists and their supporters sang their opposition to U.S. Cold War policies and promoted brotherhood among men, usually in those (male) terms. Intense anticommunism limited the impact of songs written and disseminated by ‘people's artists’ in the early Cold War years. Nonetheless, their work had an impact in the long run despite the repressive era in which they sang. Through hootenannies and records, and in the pages of publications such as Sing Out!they kept alive a movement culture that influenced the next generation of musicians, whose peace songs reached a popular audience in the 1960s.Less
At the height of the McCarthy era, a period that marked the low point of both communism and peace activism in the United States, the communist left continued to promote its ideas about peace through song. Beginning with the Progressive party campaign of 1948, communists and their supporters sang their opposition to U.S. Cold War policies and promoted brotherhood among men, usually in those (male) terms. Intense anticommunism limited the impact of songs written and disseminated by ‘people's artists’ in the early Cold War years. Nonetheless, their work had an impact in the long run despite the repressive era in which they sang. Through hootenannies and records, and in the pages of publications such as Sing Out!they kept alive a movement culture that influenced the next generation of musicians, whose peace songs reached a popular audience in the 1960s.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199241170
- eISBN:
- 9780191696893
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199241170.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
In the history of the peace movement, the Great Exhibition and London Peace Congress are remembered as the peace movement's most confident moments but it was thrown onto the defensive as the French ...
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In the history of the peace movement, the Great Exhibition and London Peace Congress are remembered as the peace movement's most confident moments but it was thrown onto the defensive as the French invasion sowed fear leading to the passage of a Militia Act in 1852. The Eastern Question was revived and pressured an anti-Russian crusade resulting in Britain's decision to declare war in March 1854. Other challenges faced by the movement were Palmerston's victory in the 1857 general election and the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865. In a decade and a half, the peace movement proved that it was not a temporary product of unusual circumstances. Instead it gained new integrity by surviving and enjoyed modest rewards such as the Protocol 23 of the Treaty of Paris, the growing disillusionment with the Crimean War, and avoiding British government intervention.Less
In the history of the peace movement, the Great Exhibition and London Peace Congress are remembered as the peace movement's most confident moments but it was thrown onto the defensive as the French invasion sowed fear leading to the passage of a Militia Act in 1852. The Eastern Question was revived and pressured an anti-Russian crusade resulting in Britain's decision to declare war in March 1854. Other challenges faced by the movement were Palmerston's victory in the 1857 general election and the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865. In a decade and a half, the peace movement proved that it was not a temporary product of unusual circumstances. Instead it gained new integrity by surviving and enjoyed modest rewards such as the Protocol 23 of the Treaty of Paris, the growing disillusionment with the Crimean War, and avoiding British government intervention.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198226741
- eISBN:
- 9780191678660
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198226741.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This book identifies the dominant pre-modern theory of international relations, which fatalistically assumed that war was beyond human control. It then shows how this theory was undermined from the ...
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This book identifies the dominant pre-modern theory of international relations, which fatalistically assumed that war was beyond human control. It then shows how this theory was undermined from the 1730s onwards, with the consequence that a debate began about how best to prevent war in which a vocal minority argued that war as an institution for settling disputes could be abolished. Britain led the way in this repudiation of fatalism and exploration of pacific alternatives: it produced the world’s first peace movement (which appeared in the mid-1790s as a response to the French wars) and the first enduring national peace association (the Peace Society, founded in 1816 and active for nearly a century); and it was the first country to allow peace thinking (for example, as expounded by Richard Cobden) to enter its political mainstream.Less
This book identifies the dominant pre-modern theory of international relations, which fatalistically assumed that war was beyond human control. It then shows how this theory was undermined from the 1730s onwards, with the consequence that a debate began about how best to prevent war in which a vocal minority argued that war as an institution for settling disputes could be abolished. Britain led the way in this repudiation of fatalism and exploration of pacific alternatives: it produced the world’s first peace movement (which appeared in the mid-1790s as a response to the French wars) and the first enduring national peace association (the Peace Society, founded in 1816 and active for nearly a century); and it was the first country to allow peace thinking (for example, as expounded by Richard Cobden) to enter its political mainstream.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.08
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
In August 1914, after a hastily organised campaign for British neutrality, the peace movement divided: some peace activists supported British intervention in the war in Europe, while others opposed ...
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In August 1914, after a hastily organised campaign for British neutrality, the peace movement divided: some peace activists supported British intervention in the war in Europe, while others opposed it. The peace journals attest to the fact that most activists changed their position in August 1914. However, the existence of two different ideologies within peace thinking — pacifism and pacific-ism — has not been sufficiently recognised. Some of the peace campaigners who decided to support the participation of Britain in World War I did so without totally abandoning pacific-ism. The majority of peace activists, however, explained their support for British involvement in terms of the country's moral responsibility to Belgium. This chapter looks at peace associations in Britain that were for and against the war, as well as the debate about pacifism among peace societies.Less
In August 1914, after a hastily organised campaign for British neutrality, the peace movement divided: some peace activists supported British intervention in the war in Europe, while others opposed it. The peace journals attest to the fact that most activists changed their position in August 1914. However, the existence of two different ideologies within peace thinking — pacifism and pacific-ism — has not been sufficiently recognised. Some of the peace campaigners who decided to support the participation of Britain in World War I did so without totally abandoning pacific-ism. The majority of peace activists, however, explained their support for British involvement in terms of the country's moral responsibility to Belgium. This chapter looks at peace associations in Britain that were for and against the war, as well as the debate about pacifism among peace societies.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.09
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The belief that war could be abolished became a permanent feature of British political debate by the mid-19th century and remained influential within progressive politics well into the 20th century. ...
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The belief that war could be abolished became a permanent feature of British political debate by the mid-19th century and remained influential within progressive politics well into the 20th century. The activists who campaigned for its acceptance comprised the peace movement in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. This book examines the outlook and activities of the most important peace associations which operated from 1870 to 1914. The ideological configuration of the peace movement (including non-specialised campaigning — by Radical Liberals and the Labour Party, for instance) is also discussed. The peace societies in fact provide an ideal starting point for such an analysis because it was at their level that the ideas and dilemmas of the peace movement were most thoroughly discussed. The terms ‘pacifism’ and ‘pacific-ism’ are also considered. The chapter concludes by arguing that most historians did not fully understood the reaction of peace activists to World War I.Less
The belief that war could be abolished became a permanent feature of British political debate by the mid-19th century and remained influential within progressive politics well into the 20th century. The activists who campaigned for its acceptance comprised the peace movement in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. This book examines the outlook and activities of the most important peace associations which operated from 1870 to 1914. The ideological configuration of the peace movement (including non-specialised campaigning — by Radical Liberals and the Labour Party, for instance) is also discussed. The peace societies in fact provide an ideal starting point for such an analysis because it was at their level that the ideas and dilemmas of the peace movement were most thoroughly discussed. The terms ‘pacifism’ and ‘pacific-ism’ are also considered. The chapter concludes by arguing that most historians did not fully understood the reaction of peace activists to World War I.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198226741
- eISBN:
- 9780191678660
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198226741.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This period saw the peace movement take off: lifted by the support of an attentive public, it came to resemble a glider as it exploited the rising currents of anti-war feeling by launching two ...
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This period saw the peace movement take off: lifted by the support of an attentive public, it came to resemble a glider as it exploited the rising currents of anti-war feeling by launching two separate campaigns against attempts to revive the militia: a Friendly International Addresses movement — The League of Universal Brotherhood — and an international peace congress at Brussels, in 20—22 September 1848. A key activist in this period was newly arrived American, Elihu Burritt, whose League of Universal Brotherhood became the first peace association to attract a mass membership.Less
This period saw the peace movement take off: lifted by the support of an attentive public, it came to resemble a glider as it exploited the rising currents of anti-war feeling by launching two separate campaigns against attempts to revive the militia: a Friendly International Addresses movement — The League of Universal Brotherhood — and an international peace congress at Brussels, in 20—22 September 1848. A key activist in this period was newly arrived American, Elihu Burritt, whose League of Universal Brotherhood became the first peace association to attract a mass membership.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.02
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
On July 19, 1870, the Franco-Prussian War began. Rumours circulated that Napoleon III intended to invade Belgium, and the peace movement in Britain found itself having to counter a ‘strong, warlike ...
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On July 19, 1870, the Franco-Prussian War began. Rumours circulated that Napoleon III intended to invade Belgium, and the peace movement in Britain found itself having to counter a ‘strong, warlike feeling’ against the traditional enemy. The Peace Society responded to the crisis in a characteristically cautious manner; it circulated an address emphasising the fragility of ‘armed peace’. Artisan radicals, on the other hand, were eager to agitate for peace, expressing its opposition to the idea of British intervention against France. The Workmen's Peace Association, whose council members were all artisans, also opposed a British war against Russia. In August 1871, Henry Richard gave notice to the House of Commons of a motion in favour of international arbitration. Three months before, the Treaty of Washington had enlivened the campaign of peace activists and more optimistic international lawyers for a codification of international law and a permanent court to apply such a code.Less
On July 19, 1870, the Franco-Prussian War began. Rumours circulated that Napoleon III intended to invade Belgium, and the peace movement in Britain found itself having to counter a ‘strong, warlike feeling’ against the traditional enemy. The Peace Society responded to the crisis in a characteristically cautious manner; it circulated an address emphasising the fragility of ‘armed peace’. Artisan radicals, on the other hand, were eager to agitate for peace, expressing its opposition to the idea of British intervention against France. The Workmen's Peace Association, whose council members were all artisans, also opposed a British war against Russia. In August 1871, Henry Richard gave notice to the House of Commons of a motion in favour of international arbitration. Three months before, the Treaty of Washington had enlivened the campaign of peace activists and more optimistic international lawyers for a codification of international law and a permanent court to apply such a code.
PAUL LAITY
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248353
- eISBN:
- 9780191714672
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248353.003.04
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The Liberal victory in the 1880 general election was a cause for celebration within the peace movement in Britain. To capitalise on this new optimism, Henry Richard gave notice of a parliamentary ...
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The Liberal victory in the 1880 general election was a cause for celebration within the peace movement in Britain. To capitalise on this new optimism, Henry Richard gave notice of a parliamentary motion in favour of a reduction of armaments, and began a six-month lecture tour to drum up support. The Peace Society had no desire to embarrass the new government that seemed prepared to commit itself to peace policies. Unwilling to sacrifice the good living he had made from peace activities, Lewis Appleton decided to set up a new society, the International Arbitration and Peace Association (IAPA). This chapter also discusses Britain's war with Egypt and the reaction of the peace associations to the crisis, as well as the transformation of the Workmen's Peace Association into the International Arbitration League.Less
The Liberal victory in the 1880 general election was a cause for celebration within the peace movement in Britain. To capitalise on this new optimism, Henry Richard gave notice of a parliamentary motion in favour of a reduction of armaments, and began a six-month lecture tour to drum up support. The Peace Society had no desire to embarrass the new government that seemed prepared to commit itself to peace policies. Unwilling to sacrifice the good living he had made from peace activities, Lewis Appleton decided to set up a new society, the International Arbitration and Peace Association (IAPA). This chapter also discusses Britain's war with Egypt and the reaction of the peace associations to the crisis, as well as the transformation of the Workmen's Peace Association into the International Arbitration League.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199241170
- eISBN:
- 9780191696893
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199241170.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
For the first time in 1867, the peace movement acquired continental counterparts and an extended franchise helped Henry Richard enter the parliament. There are also other significant events that ...
More
For the first time in 1867, the peace movement acquired continental counterparts and an extended franchise helped Henry Richard enter the parliament. There are also other significant events that contributed to the recovery of the peace movement including the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1 which not only prompted the establishment of a Workmen's Peace Association but sparked interest in international law, arbitration, and codification among the academics, intellectuals, and ‘the leading jurists of Christendom’. Peace activists, however, had to face violence over the Eastern Question and the Afghan Wars but seemed to be making steady progress as the Egyptian crisis blew up in June 1882. The Anti-Aggression League also faltered despite having protected itself from the peace-at-any-price mantra.Less
For the first time in 1867, the peace movement acquired continental counterparts and an extended franchise helped Henry Richard enter the parliament. There are also other significant events that contributed to the recovery of the peace movement including the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1 which not only prompted the establishment of a Workmen's Peace Association but sparked interest in international law, arbitration, and codification among the academics, intellectuals, and ‘the leading jurists of Christendom’. Peace activists, however, had to face violence over the Eastern Question and the Afghan Wars but seemed to be making steady progress as the Egyptian crisis blew up in June 1882. The Anti-Aggression League also faltered despite having protected itself from the peace-at-any-price mantra.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199241170
- eISBN:
- 9780191696893
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199241170.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
A quickened interest in the peace movement was sparked by The Tsar's Rescript of August 29, 1898 inviting other countries to a peace conference. Its ideas suddenly became prominent: the Hague ...
More
A quickened interest in the peace movement was sparked by The Tsar's Rescript of August 29, 1898 inviting other countries to a peace conference. Its ideas suddenly became prominent: the Hague conference of 1899 created an international court of arbitration, this was followed by a second gathering in 1907. In 1901, the word ‘pacifist’ rose to prominence and in 1904 regular National Peace Congresses began. However, these developments reflected a greater breath of interest in war prevention as more people became anxious about the international situation rather than an increased depth of commitment to peace activism. The balance within the peace movement changed significantly, and so did ad hoc bodies including the International Crusade of Peace and a Stop-the-War movement that opposed the conflict in South Africa.Less
A quickened interest in the peace movement was sparked by The Tsar's Rescript of August 29, 1898 inviting other countries to a peace conference. Its ideas suddenly became prominent: the Hague conference of 1899 created an international court of arbitration, this was followed by a second gathering in 1907. In 1901, the word ‘pacifist’ rose to prominence and in 1904 regular National Peace Congresses began. However, these developments reflected a greater breath of interest in war prevention as more people became anxious about the international situation rather than an increased depth of commitment to peace activism. The balance within the peace movement changed significantly, and so did ad hoc bodies including the International Crusade of Peace and a Stop-the-War movement that opposed the conflict in South Africa.
