Hobson seeks to explain the rise of the new imperialism in the 1870s and 1880s when britain. A study by john atkinson hobson, publication date 1902 publisher j. Imperialism, published in 1902, is considered his most important work. Hobson is best known for his writing on imperialism, which influenced vladimir lenin, and his theory of underconsumption. Jan 12, 2015 in preparation for our upcoming free course on the controversies of empire ive been thinking hard about the legacy of j. Hobson was also influential in liberal circles, especially the british liberal party. These extracts from hobsons text present his views on the causes of imperialism. John hobson s imperialism is one of those social science classics that never really ages because the fundamentals of power, class and wealth never really change. The online library of liberty a project of liberty fund, inc. Hobson, was an english economist and critic of imperialism, widely popular as a lecturer and writer.
An inquiry into the industrial condition of the poor sixth. His 1902 book imperialism, a study is an extensive explanation of how imperialism works, as well as a critique of its outcomes. In his economic interpretation ofinvestments, foreign investment is viewed as stimulating home industriesto turn out large quantities of goods at lower costs and prices for bothdomestic and. Donald sassoon and robin prior respond to reports about and comment on the labour party leaders foreword for a 2011 reissue of john atkinson hobson s 1902 book letters thu 2 may 2019 12. Hobsons imperialism belongs to the small group of books in the years from 1900 to the outbreak of war that have definitely changed the contours of social. His principal and earliest contribution to economics was the theory of underconsumption, a scathing criticism of says law.
In this talking empire podcast, centre director richard toye discusses hobsons imperialism with dr. An economist with views that were unconventional for his time, and led himhe claimedto be blackballed from academic posts. Although the new imperialism has been bad business for the nation, it has been good business for certain classes and certain trades within. Hobson, is a politicoeconomic discourse about the negative financial, economic, and moral aspects of imperialism as a. The economic taproot of imperialism marxists internet archive. Hobson is best known for his writing on imperialism, which influenced vladimir lenin, and his theory of underconsumption his principal and earliest contribution to economics was the theory of underconsumption, a scathing criticism of says law and classical economics emphasis on thrift. I turn now, however, to a brief sketch of hobsons background and writings before surveying the scholarly literature on hobson. Imperialism is a natural outcome of an unsound theory in our foreign policy. John atkinson, 18581940 a wikipedia article about this author is available hobson, j. This is a selection from the last chapter of that book. In his seminal study, imperialism, a study first published in 1902, he pointed to the role of such drives as patriotism, philanthropy, and the spirit of adventure in advancing the imperialist cause.
Far larger and more important is the pressure of capital for external fields of investment. Hobson and imperialism a new talking empire podcast. The decades of imperialism have been prolific in wars. Amid the welter of vague political abstractions to lay ones finger ac curately upon any ism so as to pin it down and mark it out by definition seems impossible. For hobson it is not the search for new markets but the profitable employment of surplus financial resources that is at the basis of the drive to imperialism. After graduating, he became a schoolteacher and a journalist. In a period when imperialism was a catchword of politicians for winning popular support, he portrayed imperialism in a more grim fashion, showing it to be devastating both at home and in the colonies and pursued mainly in the interest of a few. Peter cain marks the occasion by evaluating, for the first time, hobsons writings on imperialism from his days as a journalist in london to his death in 1940.
Hobson, a british economist and writer, published imperialism. John atkinson hobson 6 july 1858 1 april 1940 was an english economist and social scientist. Lenins main points in identifying imperialism are the concentration of wealth, the creation of finance capital and the export thereof and the partition of the world by the world powers. Biographical sketch john atkinson hobson was born in derby on 6 july 1858, the second son of newspaper. Apr 20, 2016 although hobson himself was not a marxist he was a classical liberal, his theory would play a key role in shaping subsequent marxist theories of imperialism, most notably that of v. Hobson, taproot of imperialism 2 textile and metal industries, and, when the vast asiatic and african populations of the interior were reached, a rapid expansion of trade was expected to result. On the economic basis of imperialism 1902 amid the welter of vague political abstractions to lay ones finger accurately upon any ism so as to pin it down and mark it out by definition seems impossible. Amid the welter of vague political abstractions to lay ones finger ac curately upon any ism so as to pin it down and mark it out by definition seems.
Hobson, was one of the foremost political studies of the twentieth century that influenced many writers including nikolai bukharin, vladimir lenin and hannah arendt. As he saw it, however, the critical question was why the energy of these active agents takes. Hobson s theory of imperialism has had many critics. Cambridge core history of ideas and intellectual history imperialism by john atkinson hobson.
Hobsons influential work was drawn on by lenin when he wrote his book imperialism. Hobson, lenin, and schumpeter on imperialism 255 in imperialism, hobson deprecates foreign investment by westerncountries in the \ backward \ areas. Imperialism, a study 1902 marxists internet archive. A clue to hobsons thinking can be found in the title of his 1938 autobiography, confessions of an economic heretic. This classic study of imperialism by the radicalliberal economist j a hobson was originally published in 1902.
The early chapters chart hobsons progress from complacent imperialist in the 1880s to. This move towards formal control over colonies was a break from the previous british pattern, where it exercised its global dominance through free trade and informal. Hobson states that what he called the taproot of imperialism is not in nationalist pride, but in capitalist oligarchy. Hobson 18581940, an english economist, wrote one the most famous critiques of the economic bases of imperialism in 1902. John atkinson hobson 1858 1940 was an english social scientist and economist most famous for his work on imperialism. John atkinson hobson 18581940 by an unknown photographer.
The existence of this surplus is due to the fact that the masses are kept in a condition of underconsumption through a policy of low wages for the workers and high rents for the financiers. He was the brother of the mathematician ernest william hobson. Although the new imperialism has been bad business for the nation, it has been good business for certain classes and certain trades within the nation. Despite bernard porters discussion of this development in critics of empire, and p. He argues that the socalled dysfunction of the political economy created the sociocultural. Hobhouse with edwardian new liberalism was born in derby on 6 july 1858, the second son of william and josephine ne atkinson hobson. A study 1902 was undoubtedly one of the most influential books of the early twentieth century. The stronger nation is usually industrial and western meaning european, u. Lenin by john atkinson hobson available from rakuten kobo. Also hobson being a non marxist avoids to be favorable to one class and does not realize that capitalism and imperialism are strongly interconnected. Hobson imperialism modern history sourcebook john hobson. Imperialism has been common throughout recorded history, the earliest examples dating from the midthird millennium bc.
John hobsons imperialism is one of those social science classics that never really ages because the fundamentals of power, class and wealth never really change. Economic imperialism british liberal economist john atkinson hobson. Hobson, lenin, and schumpeter on imperialism pages 1 4. English historicist economist, underconsumption theorist and apostle of the new liberal movement. Though imperialism has been adopted as a more or less conscious policy by several european states and threatens.
During his coverage of the second boer war, hobson began to form the idea that imperialism was the direct result of the expanding forces of modern capitalism. Hobson 18581940 wrote extensively about the political economy of britain and its empire. Hobsons place in the liberal tradition of international thought is considered in the concluding chapter. The book was written in 1902 in the wake of the boer war, a bloody, threeyearlong conflict instigated by mining companies bent on british annexation of south africas goldrich.
John hobson 1902 from imperialism, a study documenting. No mere array of facts and figures adduced to illustrate the economic nature of the new imperialism will suffice to dispel the popular delusion that the use of national force to secure new markets by annexing fresh tracts of territory is a sound and a necessary policy for an advanced industrial country like great britain. A study1902 was undoubtedly one of the most influential books of the early twentieth century. Marked up by einde ocallaghan for the marxists internet archive.
English historicist economist, underconsumption theorist and apostle of the new liberal movement the son of a liberal newspaper publisher in derby, john a. Comparison of lenins and hobsons theory on imperialism. Chapter 6 three theories explaining imperialism mperialism is a term used to describe a situation in which one on country controls another. After 1911, he altered his theory so as to negate his original position completely. Hobson wrote the book on imperialism in which his original position is stated. Hobson 1902 free printable imperialism dbq documentbased question worksheet scroll down to print pdf for europe to rule asia by force for purposes of gain, and to justify that rule by the pretence that she is civilizing asia and raising her to a higher level of spiritual life, will be adjudged by history, perhaps. Hobson seeks to explain the rise of the new imperialism in the 1870s and 1880s when britain, together with the other great european powers, engaged in a scramble for colonies.
This study of modern imperialism is designed to give more precision to a term which is on everybodys lips and which is used to denote the most powerful movement in the current politics of the western world. Imperialism is a policy or ideology of extending a countrys rule over foreign nations, often by military force or by gaining political and economic control of other areas. Hobson 18581940, one of englands most famous critics of imperialism. Jeremy corbyn, hobsons imperialism, and antisemitism. A study 1902 the online library of liberty this ebook pdf format is published by liberty fund, inc.
The son of a liberal newspaper publisher in derby, john a. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The country being subjugated is generally a nonindustrial and nonwhite country such as cuba, india, or indonesia. Imperialism is not motived by the interests of the nation as a whole, but by those of certain classes, who impose the policy upon the nation for their own advantage.
William hobson was the proprietor of the derbyshire advertiser, to which his son later contributed, and was. He earned his living therefore through parttime lecturing, journalism, and writing too many books. Hobson was educated in the classics at lincoln college, oxford. No mere array of facts and figures adduced to illustrate the economic nature of the new imperialism will suffice to dispel the popular delusion that the use of national force to secure new markets by annexing fresh tracts of territory is a sound and a necessary policy for an advanced. Hobson 18581940 was an english economist and early socialist, whose writings on capitalism and industrialism influenced lenin and trotsky, and were highly regarded by john maynard keynes. This ebook pdf format is published by liberty fund, inc. At the outset of his imperialism, hobson uses the word with some reluctance. Whilst hobson s theory of imperialism is widely known, the evolution of his ideas and writings in numerous journals in the years prior to the first publication of imperialism in 1902 is still relatively unknown.
Preface introductory nationalism and imperialism part i the economics of imperialism i. This study of modern imperialism is designed to give more precision to a term which is on everybodys lips and which is used. Hobson s imperialism, a study 1902, which alleged that decadent capitalism was bound to turn from glutted markets at home to exploit the toil of reluctant and unassimilated peoples. Fieldhouse says that the obvious driving force of british expansion since 1870 came from.
Hobson and imperialism peter cain oxford university press. In recent times since at least the 1870s, it has often been considered morally reprehensible and. This is a compressed facsimile or imagebased pdf made from scans of the. Hobson s influential work was drawn on by lenin when he wrote his book imperialism. John atkinson hobson, the economic writer and radical journalist most associated along with l. Hobson on imperialism 1902 from social reformer and economist john atkinson hobsons book imperialism. Hobson was an historian and economic journalist who was one of the socalled new. John atkinson hobson 6 july 1858 1 april 1940, commonly known as john a. Other articles where imperialism, a study is discussed. Hobson, is a politicoeconomic discourse about the negative financial, economic, and moral aspects of imperialism as a nationalistic business enterprise.
Fieldhouse, for example, argues that the arguments used are ultimately superficial. In discussing hobsons writings on imperialism, two time periods must be considered. The existence of this surplus is due to the fact that. Imperialism by john atkinson hobson cambridge university press. Read imperialism a study with an excerpt from imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism by v. May 20, 2012 john atkinson hobson, the economic writer and radical journalist most associated along with l. A study, the most influential critique of british imperial expansion ever written.
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