British nationalism, imperialism and the City of London 1880-1900
Based mainly on the records of the London Chamber of Commerce, the study explores the role of the City in the promotion of a form of British nationalism and the pressure for an expansion of the British Empire and navy in the last two decades of the nineteenth century. In its propagation of a free-trade form of imperial federation, the City struggled with protectionists within the Imperial Federation League, at the Congresses of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire convened by the London Chamber of Commerce, and by forming the British Empire League. The City's concern to consolidate the existing Empire, together with a demand for its expansion, was presented as a 'National Commercial Policy' and justified with rhetoric which included economic nationalism, the civilising mission of the British, and free trade. The close relationship between the City and the State is revealed to have had two aspects: the one consciously kept hidden and which admitted the political and specific economic realities involved; the other publicly performed, which denied the hidden aspect and was played in general language to various audiences at home and abroad, who were composed of interests which competed politically or economically
Smith, Steven Reginald Burdett
History
British nationalism, imperialism and the City of London 1880-1900. Based mainly on the records of the London Chamber of Commerce, the study explores the role of the City in the promotion of a form of British nationalism and the pressure for an expansion of the British Empire and navy in the last two decades of the nineteenth century. In its propagation of a free-trade form of imperial federation, the City struggled with protectionists within the Imperial Federation League, at the Congresses of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire convened by the London Chamber of Commerce, and by forming the British Empire League. The City's concern to consolidate the existing Empire, together with a demand for its expansion, was presented as a 'National Commercial Policy' and justified with rhetoric which included economic nationalism, the civilising mission of the British, and free trade. The close relationship between the City and the State is revealed to have had two aspects: the one consciously kept hidden and which admitted the political and specific economic realities involved; the other publicly performed, which denied the hidden aspect and was played in general language to various audiences at home and abroad, who were composed of interests which competed politically or economically
british nationalism imperialism city_london based mainly record london chamber commerce study explores_role city promotion form british nationalism pressure expansion british_empire navy propagation free_trade form imperial federation city struggle within imperial federation league commerce empire london chamber commerce form british_empire league city concern consolidate exist empire together demand expansion present national commercial_policy justified rhetoric include economic nationalism civilise mission british free_trade close_relationship city_state reveal two_aspect consciously keep hidden political specific economic reality involve publicly perform deny hidden aspect play general language various audience home_abroad compose interest compete politically_economically