Hobson and Imperialism : Radicalism, New Liberalism, and Finance 1887-1938

The year 2002 sees the centenary of J.A. Hobson's Imperialism: A Study, the most influential critique of British imperial expansion ever written. Peter Cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, 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 author 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. The year 2002 sees the centenary of J. A. Hobson's Imperialism: A Study, the most influential critique of British imperial expansion ever written. P. J. Cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, 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 author 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. "The year 2002 sees the centenary of J.A. Hobson's Imperialism: A Study, the most influential critique of British Imperial expansion ever written. Peter Cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, 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 and its emergence as a 'classic' by the late 1930s. The book ends with a detailed discussion of the relevance of the arguments of Imperialism to present-day historians."--Jacket Introduction -- Becoming a new Liberal, 1887-1898 -- Becoming an anti-Imperialist, 1887-1898 -- The economics of imperialism, 1899-1902 -- Imperialism: a study: parasitism and industry -- Dilemmas of a new liberal: free trade, foreign investment, and imperialism, 1903-1914 -- Late variations on a famous theme, 1914-1938 -- Hobson lives? Finance, finance capitalism, and British imperialism, 1870-1914 This text evaluates J.A. Hobson's writings on imperialism, from his days as a journalist in London, to his death in 1940. It charts his progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to radical critic by 1898. His work, rich and diverse, continues to be relevant in the 21st century