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Great power complex : British imperialism, international crises, and national decline, 1914-51

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Great power complex : British imperialism, international crises, and national decline, 1914-51 / John Callaghan.

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Status	Format	Access	Call number	Item location
Status Request for on-site use Request scan How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	FormatText	AccessUse in library	Call numberDA16 .C245 1997	Item locationOff-site

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"Britain emerged from both world wars politically weakened and economically crippled. Yet, as John Callaghan reveals in this volume, despite the enormous costs to the nation this did not prevent attempts by British political leaders to restore the country's global role." "Professor Callaghan demonstrates that Britain's ruling classes, influenced as they were by ideas of supremacy that were deeply entrenched within the political elite, fought hard to maintain and even expand the Empire in a period of world crisis and national economic decline. Callaghan argues that by 1914 there was a significant chasm between the scale of Britain's global possessions and its capacity to police and develop them. Though Britain's relative economic decline was beyond the reach of policy, the contribution of politics to this process was significant. Arrogance and complacency led to incompetent decision making at critical times in the nation's history, from Versailles to Indian independence, as old material interests made the majority of decision-makers resistant to the reality that Britain's imperial role was beyond its means."--Jacket

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