Liberalism’s colonial critique was selectively aimed at rivals, sparing free-trade Britain

Evidence

In 1927 Ludwig von Mises published a scathing attack on European colonialism, which he described as antithetical to all the principles of liberalism. Mises traced modern imperialism to the 1870s, when the industrial countries had abandoned free trade in order to compete for colonial markets in Africa and Asia. … Mises flatly rejected such arguments. The basic idea of colonial policy in this period, he argued, was to take advantage of the superior weaponry of the ‘white race’ to subjugate, rob and enslave weaker peoples. But, even as he criticised colonial imperialism, Mises argued that the British Empire was different; she pursued ‘grand commercial objectives’, he argued, and her free-trade policies benefited her colonial subjects and the whole world. — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market, 248

Categorization

• XREF: Echoes the ‘liberal imperialism’ literature (Mehta, Pitts) and connects to ongoing debates over whether free-market internationalism was complicit in empire. — connects to: Mill’s liberalism coexisted with a defense of colonial rule over ‘uncivilised’ peoples — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 1044; Free trade rhetoric concealed British imperial violence and famine causation — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 260; British liberals justified imperial rule by infantilizing Indian subjects (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Mill’s liberalism coexisted with a defense of colonial rule over ‘uncivilised’ peoples #corroborates (0.85) — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 1044
• British liberals justified imperial rule by infantilizing Indian subjects #corroborates (0.80)
• British liberals infantilized Indians to justify denying them democratic rights #corroborates (0.80)
• British liberals presumed Africans a lesser stage of civilization #corroborates (0.80)
• Free trade rhetoric concealed British imperial violence and famine causation #corroborates (0.75) — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market, 260
• US anti-colonial rhetoric was selective, serving economic access over genuine liberation #corroborates (0.75)
• Colonial exposure to metropolitan freedom undermined Britain’s own imperial rule. #complicates (0.75)