James Mill on the Law of Nations

In another of his essays for the supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Scottish radical James Mill considered the Law of Nations—or what we today know as international law—and how such laws might be enforced. Mill remarks upon the general outlawry that characterises international relations thus: "Have nations, in reality, combined, so constantly and steadily, … Continue reading James Mill on the Law of Nations →

Literary life in the English countryside

The passage below belongs to one of the drafts of John Stuart Mill's autobiography, and was not included in the final version. It is a description of a daily routine that any philosopher must envy: continual study, easy access to natural scenery, and the relaxation of social gatherings. As it is difficult to conceive of … Continue reading Literary life in the English countryside →

Mill, Ricardo, and the Folly of Tradition

The coronation of George IV took place in 1821; and it was already evident to rational men, two hundred years ago, that such a ceremony was ludicrous—a relic of "barbarous ages", entirely unworthy of a civilised people. James Mill, the Scottish-born radical, in a letter to his intimate friend, David Ricardo, the economist, argued that … Continue reading Mill, Ricardo, and the Folly of Tradition →

A Letter on Theory and History

As applied to political practice. I have seen some remarks from different Socialists which seem to place History and Theory in opposition to each other. History, they say, is what really happened: therefore it is superior to Theory. In so far as the word Theory is often (and unfortunately) used to denote any speculative or … Continue reading A Letter on Theory and History →

James Mill on how the Few Oppress the Many

In an 1835 article entitled 'State of the Nation' for the London Review, the Scottish radical James Mill considered the progress of reform in Britain, and how society might be further improved. One of his objects was to illustrate how the ruling Few, throughout history, erected barriers to any reforms that might promote the interests … Continue reading James Mill on how the Few Oppress the Many →

A Regius Professor at Oxford Considers African History

Hugh Trevor-Roper was Regius Professor of History at Oxford 1957-1980, and Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1980-1987. In a 1965 book, The Rise of Christian Europe, Trevor-Roper observed that ‘[u]ndergraduates, seduced, as always, by the changing breath of journalistic fashion’ wanted to be ‘taught the history of Africa’. Of course, those foolish, trendy undergraduates had made … Continue reading A Regius Professor at Oxford Considers African History →

Britain’s Contribution to the Defeat of Nazi Germany

The first in a series responding to Andrew Roberts' and Zewditu Gebreyohanes' paper, ‘The Racial Consequences of Mr Churchill: A Review' Roberts and Gebreyohanes make several claims about the British contribution during the Second World War in their paper. They write that Britain ‘played a central role’ in the defeat of the Nazis (p21), that … Continue reading Britain’s Contribution to the Defeat of Nazi Germany →