Anti-American Themes in British Radicalism from the “Tariff of Abominations” to the Crisis of Secession: The Case of Thomas Perronet Thompson

Abstract

America's self-perception has long been influenced by the opinions of America held by foreigners. Admiration for the United States was strong among British radicals in the early and mid-nineteenth century, but there was an alternative position, one that was negative toward America. While some historians have assumed that respect for the United States was a dominant fixture in British radicalism, others have shown that disinterest, or equivocation, or even hostility, was more prevalent. This article explores some of the reasons behind anti-Americanism. Special attention is given to economic matters, slavery, and foreign policy from the late 1820s to the early 1860s, and to the writings and speeches of the radical M.P. and political economist Thomas Perronet Thompson (1783–1869). Thompson's thoughts and activities repay consideration because they point to the range of responses – some of which have been underestimated by historians – that the United States could evoke.