British use of ‘piracy’ and ‘Wahhabi’ served strategic trade and imperial adjudication aims

Evidence

Thirdly, the profound changes that British imperial activity was undergoing in the nineteenth century are pivotal to understanding the use of the terms piracy and Wahhabi in British discourse. These developments meant that imperial motivation was primarily concerned with maintaining strategic trade routes and ensuring Britain was the adjudicator in maritime conflict. Moreover, these motivations were underpinned by a desire to protect India and the interests of the City of London. — Robin Alexander Plant, Discuss the Relationship Between…, 20

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Directly extends the ‘Complaints About Immodesty Go Way Back’ thesis: moralizing labels as class and political signaling, here reframed as imperial legal rhetoric.
• SHARE: A tidbit for a Gulf or maritime-history friend: British anti-piracy language tracked trade-route and India-protection anxieties more than religious doctrine.