Western powers’ own nationalizations undermined their case against Global South expropriations

Evidence

In 1952 Mises observed the irony of the disavowed symmetry between Global South and North when he said, “If it is right for the British to nationalize the British coal mines, it cannot be wrong for the Ira­ni­ans to nationalize the Ira­nian oil industry. If Mr. Attlee ­were consistent, he would have congratulated the Ira­ni­ans on their ­great socialist achievement.” Röpke wrote a year ­later that “the Mossadeqs appeal to the Atlees and the Bevans, who have inspired them with the idea of nationalization.” In fact, the British case against the expropriation of Anglo-­Iranian Oil was one of the most impor­tant signals to the international business community that new standards ­were necessary for more robust protection of foreign property. — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists, 463

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the broader historiography of decolonization-era property disputes and the double standard of Western economic nationalism. — connects to: NIEO opponents reframed Global South demands as an assault on liberal trading principles. — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists: The End of Empire and the…, 798; Neoliberal reformers framed Global South exemptions as undermining the rule of law. — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists: The End of Empire and the…, 797; Global powers apply inconsistent standards to protests abroad versus at home — Vincent Bevins, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and…, 503

Broader Connections

• Neoliberal reformers framed Global South exemptions as undermining the rule of law. #complicates (0.85) — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists, 797
• NIEO opponents reframed Global South demands as an assault on liberal trading principles. #complicates (0.78) — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists, 798