Imperialism free trade

Imperialism of Free Trade is an academic article by John Gallagher and Ronald Robinson published in The Economic History Revew in 1953. The article became a milestone in the discussion about nineteenth-century imperialism , generated by the publication of John Hobson 's book “Imperialism: Research”, and concentrated at that time mainly on the economic aspects of the era. An article by Gallagher / Robinson introduced the term “informal / formal empire” into active scientific circulation and gave the discussion a new direction.

Content

Essence

The main thesis was that a new wave of imperial expansion, which has been gaining strength since the 1880s, is a continuation of a long-term strategy based on the principles of free trade , in which informal control of overseas trade (“informal empire”) was more profitable than formal, legally fixed ("Formal empire"), and was preferred as long as circumstances allowed ^[1] . The article not only revived interest in the theory of “New Imperialism”, but also indirectly contributed to the formation of the “ Cambridge School of Historiography ” ^[2] .

Objections

In a scientific review of the discussions about “new imperialism” that developed at the end of the 20th century, historian Martin Lynn argues that Gallagher and Robinson “exaggerated”. In his opinion, Great Britain of that era achieved its goal of comprehensively ensuring its economic interests. However, a higher goal - the creation of a system of 'expanded reproduction of British society' through the overflow of free resources of economically and culturally connected regions - was not achieved. The reasons, in his opinion, are as follows:

the goal of reforming the whole world through free trade and its expansion abroad was dictated, rather, by the inappropriate optimism of British politicians and their narrow view of the world, than by a true assessment of the realities of the mid-19th century ... the volume of trade and investment ... that the British could support in that era was still limited .... Local economies and elites skillfully restrained British business opportunities; various restrictions for foreign entrepreneurs, the low purchasing power of the local population, the elasticity of local production, the advantages of local entrepreneurs, etc., when combined, greatly complicated the development of “informal” British expansion.
- English "British Policy, Trade, and Informal Empire in the Mid-Nineteenth Century", Martin Lynn, 1999 ^[3]

Application

The idea of “free trade imperialism,” according to which states with a “ free economy ” use informal control to expand their economic influence, also attracted neo-Marxists who tried to correct the flaws of the early Marxist interpretations of capitalism with it.

The idea was also used in discussions about US foreign policy ^[4] .

Notes

↑ Gat, Azar. War in Human Civilization. - New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006. - P. 542–557. - ISBN 978-0199236633 .
↑ Ganachari, Aravind. "Studies in Indian Historiography:„ The Cambridge School, ": [] // Indica. - 2010. - No. 47/1 (March). - S. 70–93.
↑ The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume III: The 19th Century (1999) // 3: 101–21, quote at 3: 118–19. (eng)
↑ Chris Grocott and Jo Grady. “'Naked abroad': The continuing imperialism of free trade.” Capital & Class 38.3 (2014): 541-562. (eng.)

Links

Talking Empire: The Gallagher-Robinson Controversy at the University of Exeter

[gat-1] Gat, Azar. War in Human Civilization. - New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006. - P. 542–557. - ISBN 978-0199236633 .

[2] Ganachari, Aravind. "Studies in Indian Historiography:„ The Cambridge School, ": [] // Indica. - 2010. - No. 47/1 (March). - S. 70–93.

[3] The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume III: The 19th Century (1999) // 3: 101–21, quote at 3: 118–19. (eng)

[4] Chris Grocott and Jo Grady. “'Naked abroad': The continuing imperialism of free trade.” Capital & Class 38.3 (2014): 541-562. (eng.)