Militarism and the British Left 1902-1914.

Format:

Book

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Militarism--Great Britain--History.

Militarism.

War and socialism--Great Britain--History.

War and socialism.

History.

Great Britain--Politics and government--1901-1936.

Great Britain.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

247 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] : Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.

Summary:

Militarism is usually regarded as a phenomenon of the political right. It has traditionally been seen as alien-indeed, as antithetical - to the values and principles of the left. In Britain during the years before the Great War, however, the relationship between militarism and the politics of the left was a highly complex one. Militarism in pre-war British society was manifest in a variety of forms, from popular enthusiasm for war and martial values, to demands for greater provision to be made for the nation's defence, and even in calls for the militarization of society itself. The response of the political left to these challenges was ambivalent and contested. While militaristic sentiment and practice did not always sit comfortably alongside progressive principle, an ideological space existed on the left in which militaristic ideas could take root. Indeed, militarism could take on ostensibly 'progressive' from that proved particularly appealing to some elements on the left.

Moving beyond the focus on pacifism and anti-militarism that has characterized much of the existing scholarship on this subject, this book explores the ways in which Liberal, socialist, and other on the left of British politics were able to accommodate aspects of militarism during the years before 1914. In doing so, it offers an intriguing new perspective on the nature of militarism itself. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Ideological Context: War, Martial Values, and Military Prestige 20

2 Civil-Military Relations under the Pre-War Liberal Governments 45

3 The Militarization of the State: Armaments, Popular Navalism, and the Liberal Party 66

4 The Militarization of Society: Compulsory Service, the National Service League, and Progressive Politics 90

5 Alternatives to Conscription: Richard Burdon Haldane and a 'Liberal' Nation-in-Arms 133.

ISBN:

9781137274120

1137274123

OCLC:

808413673