Items related to A Century of Political Development
Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XV. IMPERIAL FEDERATION. As was said at the close of the last chapter, there are two kinds of Imperialism. The one kind with which we have dealt has played a great part in history, and has left behind it a black record of disaster, and has for its watchwords the subjugation of alien races and the forcible annexation of territory. The other kind of Imperialism takes into account the great race-cementing forces--unity of race, sentiment, and religion. This kind of Imperialism rests not upon despotic rule but upon self-government, and takes for its watchword not subjugation but co-operation. Naturally this type of Imperialism, which may be called democratic Imperialism, was a comparatively late product of the nineteenth century. In the first instance, it grew indirectly out of Great Britain's disastrous experiment with the American Colonies. The federal principle is not a new idea in political science, but in this country it only really came into the sphere of practical politics during the dispute with the American Colonies, whose interests were entirely subordinated to the interests of the mother country. In the opinion of the Government of the day the American Colonies were valued solely as commerce feeders of the mother country. In vain did Adam Smith denounce the policy of founding a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a nation of customers. Lord North and his friends insisted upon subordinating the interests of the Colonies to those of Great Britain, and the end was the loss of America. Even in those days a few wise thinkers saw in the federal principle a method of unifying the interests of the mother country and the Colonies. Some of Burke's greatest speeches were made in advocacy of a policy of conciliation. He is said to have favo...
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