Utilitarianism and EmpireThe classical utilitarian legacy of Jeremy Bentham, J. S. Mill, James Mill, and Henry Sidgwick has often been charged with both theoretical and practical complicity in the growth of British imperialism and the emerging racialist discourse of the nineteenth century. But there has been little scholarly work devoted to bringing together the conflicting interpretive perspectives on this legacy and its complex evolution with respect to orientalism and imperialism. This volume, with contributions by leading scholars in the field, represents the first attempt to survey the full range of current scholarly controversy on how the classical utilitarians conceived of 'race' and the part it played in their ethical and political programs, particularly with respect to such issues as slavery and the governance of India. The book both advances our understanding of the history of utilitarianism and imperialism and promotes the scholarly debate, clarifying the major points at issue between those sympathetic to the utilitarian legacy and those critical of it. |
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Contents
Jeremy Bentham on Slavery and the Slave Trade | 33 |
Legislator of the World? 57 0 | 57 |
The Question | 93 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
abolition According activity argued argument attempt believed Bentham Britain British called Cambridge character civilized claims colonies concerned considered Constitutional critical critique cultural despotism developed discussion economic effect empire England English equal essay Ethics European Eyre fact French hand happiness History human idea imperialism important improvement India influence institutions interest issue Jamaica Committee James Mill John Stuart Mill justice later least Legislation less letter liberal liberty London matter means Mill's mind moral nature Negro never Oxford philosophical Pitts pleasure political position possible practical present Principles problem progress question race racial racist reason reference reform regard representative rule seems sense shows Sidgwick slave trade slavery social society Spencer suggest theory thing thought tion University Press utilitarianism utility views volume writings wrote
Bibliographic information
| Title | Utilitarianism and Empire G - Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series |
| Editors | Bart Schultz, Georgios Varouxakis |
| Publisher | Lexington Books, 2005 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | Jun 12, 2008 |
| ISBN | 0739105752, 9780739105757 |
| Length | 263 pages |
| Subjects | › › › History / Europe / Great Britain / General Philosophy / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |