A brief analysis of the formation of the history writing of the British Empire. And when other countries greatly increased their strength and paid attention to their own markets, the effectiveness of free trade, which relied on a peaceful atmosphere and ideological consensus, was greatly reduced, and those who cared about the situation of the British Empire naturally tried to further develop the imperial market.
Moreover, when the global recession of 1873 appeared, the globalization of free trade was more resistant.
So looking back within the British Empire and responding to the challenge in a way that unites the empire becomes a compelling option.
The "imperial federalism" of skepticism of free trade and the desire to create a closer imperial market is associated with these changes, and many of its arguments are reflected in the latter.
This is explained in more detail below.
The theory of free trade is associated with the globalization of industry, commerce and finance in the 19th century, and there are universalist values behind it.
For those who hold the argument, freedom is placed at the top of political principles, that people in every region have the right to determine their own destiny, and that human beings are equal in this regard, and that the First British Empire collapsed because it ignored the right to freedom.
Liberty, equality and coercion are opposites, and as the analysis of Goldwin Smith above, coercion is related to the principles of governance of empires.
In addition, in Richard Cobden's view, if the landed aristocracy, which ignored the right to freedom, controlled the empire, then the phenomenon of protectionism would be difficult to change.
Therefore, a reasonable system should reflect at least the following points, namely, equal international relations; a liberal social system; Mutual commerce and trade; Peaceful world environment and so on.
It can be said that civilization equality, independence and free trade are part of a logical thread.
Therefore, Smith, Morley and other talents questioned the strengthening of the unity of the British Empire.
But universalist values were challenged around the 1870s, when racial specificity and hierarchy became popular.
As Theodor Kudiček argues, race theory was revived in the 1860s and mid-1880s and entered the late Victorian empire.
In the view of related theorists, civilizations are not equal, and regional differences are not only transformed into advanced and backward time series differences, but also related to differences in nature.
For example, in Henry Mayin's view, there is a fundamental difference between the East and the West, so it cannot be taken for granted to equate between the rural community in the West and the village community in the East, and more importantly, the institutional design of British India cannot be based on the universalist view of civilization, but should be adapted to local conditions with a full understanding of the local form of civilization.
For example, as Thomas Metcalfe argues in his writings, before the late Victorian era, British India's approach to governance was based on enlightenment, rational, optimistic progressivism.
In the eyes of politicians and scholars, there are similarities between Indian culture and European culture, and the concept of "Indo-European languages" is the result of this ideological atmosphere.
In the basic judgment of the unity of civilization, Indians can adapt and deserve an Anglo-based or civilized education, and after that they gain equal status.
However, in the late Victorian era, British India was labeled backward and "barbaric" after the "Indian rebellion", and scholars had no intention of further exploring the similarities between British civilization and Indian civilization, and the theory of racial differences became the theoretical basis for thinking about Anglo-Indian relations.
It is precisely because of this that the social transformation program led by British culture has been controlled, the construction of Indianization according to local conditions has become the way to resolve contradictions, and the power display of the British Empire is closer to that of the native princes.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia Britannica, International Chinese Edition, China Encyclopedia Press, 1999.
"Damei Encyclopedia" Editorial Department of "Damei Encyclopedia" of Guangfu Books Bureau 79th Year of the Republic of China.
