The Labour Party and the World, Volume 1: The Evolution of Labour's Foreign Policy, 1900-51 (Labour Party and the World)

This is the first book in a two-volume set that looks at the foreign policy of the Labour Party throughout the 20th century, and into the early years of the new millennium. These books rectify the dearth of literature on both the political ideology and history of Labour's foreign policy. Through an in-depth political history of Labour's foreign policy in the first half of the twentieth century this first volume produces a new theorization of the nature of the party's foreign policy. It demonstrates that from its inception, the Labour Party has been deeply involved in and interested in international affairs. The book also shows clearly that Labour has provided an important contribution to the development of foreign policy in Britain. "This is the first book in a two-volume set that looks at the foreign policy of the Labour Party throughout the 20th century, and into the early years of the new millennium. These books rectify the dearth of literature on both the political ideology and history of Labour's foreign policy. Through an in-depth political history of Labour's foreign policy in the first half of the twentieth century this first volume produces a new theorisation of the nature of the party's foreign policy. It demonstrates that from its inception, the Labour Party has been deeply involved in and interested in international affairs. The book also shows clearly that Labour has provided an important contribution to the development of foreign policy in Britain. The first volume outlines and assesses the early development and evolution of Labour's world-view. It deals with the foreign policy of the Labour Party during a very tumultuous period on the international stage, including the First World War, the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, the build up to and violent reality of the Second World War, and the start of the Cold War. This highly readable book provides an excellent analysis of Labour's foreign policy during this period, in which Labour experienced power for the first time. It will be of vital use to scholars and students of British political history in the twentieth century, international relations and British foreign policy"--Publisher's description This is the first book in a two-volume set that traces the evolution of the Labour party's foreign policy throughout the twentieth century and into the early years of the new millennium. This is the first comprehensive study of the political ideology and history of the Labour Party's world-view and foreign policy. It argues that the development of Labour's foreign policy perspective should be seen not as the development of a socialist foreign policy but as an application of the ideas of liberal internationalism. The first volume outlines and assesses the early development and evolution of Labour's world-view. It then follows the course of the Labour party's foreign policy during a tumultuous period on the international stage, including the First World War, the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, the build up to and violent reality of the Second World War, and the start of the Cold War. This highly readable book provides an excellent analysis of Labour's foreign policy during the period in which Labour experienced power for the first time. It is essential reading for students of British political history in the twentieth century, international relations and British foreign policy. Contents......Page 6 List of tables......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 8 List of abbreviations......Page 9 Introduction......Page 10 1 Context: the emergence of the British Labour Party......Page 25 2 The main political influences on the development of the Labour Party’s attitudes towards international affairs......Page 41 3 Labour and the First World War......Page 63 4 The Labour minority governments......Page 89 5 The Labour Party, pacifism and the Spanish Civil War......Page 116 6 Hitler, Munich and the Second World War......Page 142 7 The Attlee governments......Page 168 8 Conclusion......Page 201 Bibliography......Page 220 Index......Page 234 This is the second book in a unique two-volume study that traces the evolution of the Labour Party’s foreign policy throughout the 20th century to the present date. -- . V. 1. The Evolution Of Labour's Foreign Policy, 1900-51 -- V. 2. Labour's Foreign Policy Since 1951. Rhiannon Vickers. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.