1st Edition

The Continuing Imperialism of Free Trade Developments, Trends and the Role of Supranational Agents

Edited By Jo Grady, Chris Grocott Copyright 2019
    202 Pages
    by Routledge

    202 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    In 1953, John Gallagher and Ronald Robinson shook the foundations of imperial history with their essay ‘The Imperialism of Free Trade’. They reshaped how historians saw the British empire, focussing not on the ‘red bits on the map’ and the wishes of policy makers in London, but rather on British economic and political influence globally. Expanding on this analysis, this volume provides an examination of imperialism which brings the reader right up to the present.

    This book offers an innovative assessment and analysis of the history and contemporary status of imperial control. It does so in four parts, examining the historical emergence and traditions of imperialism; the relationships between the periphery and the metropolitan; the role of supranational agencies in the extension of imperial control; and how these connect to financialisation and international political economy. The book provides a dynamic and unique perspective on imperialism by bringing together a range of contributors – both established and up-and-coming scholars, activists, and those from industry – from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. In providing these authors a space to apply their insights, this engaging volume sheds light on the practical implications of imperialism for the contemporary world.

    With a broad chronological and geographical sweep, this book provides theoretical and empirical engagements with the nature of imperialism and its effects upon societies. It will be of great interest to a broad range of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences, especially those working in History, Politics, and Management and Organisation Studies.

    List of Contributors. List of Tables and Photographs. Introduction: The Continuing Imperialism of Free Trade, Jo Grady and Chris Grocott. Part 1: The Imperialism of Free Trade in Historical Context. 1. Gladstone, Suakin and the Imperialism of British Liberalism, James Fargher. 2. Spain and Britain’s Informal Empire, Nick Sharman. 3. Economic Imperialism in Cuba, 1898-2017: Hegemony and Embargo, Adam Burns. Part 2: Periphery-Metropolitan Relationships. 4. Imperialism and the Military-Peasantry Complex, Gibson Burrell. 5. The Good Friday Agreement and Britain’s ‘Deep State’: Britain’s Long Goodbye and Speedy Return, Paul Stewart and Tommy McKearney. Part 3: Supra-National Agents of Imperialism. 6. Policy as a Tool of Economic Imperialism?, Martin Quinn. 7. The Role of Troika in the Greek Economic Crisis and its Social and Political Consequences, Costas Eleftheriou and Orestis Papadopoulos. 8. Lessons from Marikana? South Africa’s Sub-Imperialism and the Rise of Blockadia, Jasper Finkeldey. 9. Chile's trade policies in the context of US contemporary imperialism: The Free Trade Agenda and the loss of National Autonomy, José Miguel Ahumada. Part 4: Financialisation and the Continuing Imperialism of Free Trade. 10. Imperialism, Dirty Money Centres and the Financial Elite, Matthew Higgins, Veronica Morino and Nigel Iyer. 11. Commissioning Imperialism: EU Trade Deals Under Neoliberalism, Mark Dearn. Bibliography. Index

    Biography



    Jo Grady is Senior Lecturer in Employment Relations at the University of Sheffield Management School, UK. Her research focuses on pensions, neoliberalism, asymmetries of power in the employment relationship, gender, intersectionality and inequality, political economy, trade unions, and labour organisation.





    Chris Grocott is Lecturer in Management and Economic History at the University of Leicester School of Business, UK. His research focuses upon the history of economic thought and political economy. Having trained as a historian, he still retains a significant research interest in British imperialism, not least all the history of British Gibraltar from 1704 to the present.

    "Grady and Grocott’s book calls for a paradigm shift in the way we analyse and understand imperialism which social scientists ignore at their peril. Both in its analytical reach and substantive range, it offers a deeper appreciation of imperialism as a flexible mechanism for the global projection of political and economic power. Taking the risk of engaging with this book will reward its readers with a massively expanded understanding of a global phenomenon which continues to be pervasive in our everyday organisational lives and the societal contexts in which they are embedded." Mike Reed, Professor of Organisational Analysis at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University

    "The Continuing Imperialism of Free Trade is an indispensable contribution for scholars and activists alike. Drawing from the pathbreaking 1953 article by Gallagher and Robinson, this edited volume combines historical reflection and contemporary examples. It is a crucial work at a time when the resurgence of nationalism often leads to knee-jerk deferences of 'the international' as a supposed terrain of equitable co-operation and freedom. Intellectual historians, historians of empire, economists, and international lawyers will all find in this volume stories and theoretical insights that can push our research forward in new, creative ways." Ntina Tzouvala, Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Law 

    "This significant book offers a ground-breaking evaluation of the history and modern standing of imperialism. Based on authoritative contributions from academics and activists, it examines imperialism from a range of insightful perspectives. The result sees theoretical reflection combined with subtle research to produce an imaginative and challenging contribution. Highly recommended." John Hassard, University of Manchester