British Imperialism, the City of London and Global Industrialization

Abstract

The concept of ‘gentlemanly capitalism’, a term that was coined by P.J. Cain and A.G. Hopkins to characterize the nature of British capitalism, has been at the centre of scholarly debate for some time. In British Imperialism, first published in two volumes in 1993 (the second edition was published in a single volume in 2001, with foreword and afterword), the authors have attempted to provide a comprehensive analysis of the history of British imperialism. It is based on the reading of a vast amount of secondary literature, covering three centuries and key British colonies and spheres of influence, and deals with a number of major issues on modern British history. Naturally, many empirical and methodological points have been taken up and debated by British and imperial historians since its publication. However, the themes and issues involved are so wide-ranging that there is room for further discussion on possible thematic links with various literatures which neither authors nor critics have so far considered.