| Reviews |
| - 'Dr Schofield's editorial work is exemplary, and greatly assists the reader. The editor's labours and scholarship are much to our profit. These writings add significantly to our knowledge of Bentham ... the paperback reissue of the definitive text of the Collected Works edition is very welcome.' - Peter Nicholson, University of York, Political Studies, Vol. 45, No. 1, March '97
- 'Published now in a comprehensive and critical edition, these writings are a welcome addition to the Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham.' - John Lynch, University of London, Latin American Studies, Vol. 29 - 1997
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| Description | | Colonies, Commerce, and Constitutional Law
is a major theoretical analysis of the harmful effects of colonies on commerce and constitiutional democracy, and is one of the most important studies of colonialism written in the nineteenth century. Of the four essays collected in this voloume, three have been edited directly from the original manuscript sources. The only essay to have appeared
in print, `Observations on the Restrictive and Prohibitory Commercial System', is generally regarded as an early classic statement of the beneficial effects of freedom of trade. In the these pioneering essays written in 1820-2, Bentham provided a penetrating critique of colonialism from within the liberal utilitarian tradition. Applying his general principles to the case of Spain and Spanish
America, he argued that any attempt by Spain to maintain dominion over her Empire, or even to maintain a claim to the dominion was fundamentally misguided. Colonies were not a source of wealth to the colonizing country, but rather led to the imposition of increased taxation. Moreover, the existence of colonies increased the amount of patronage at the disposal of Spain's rulers, and thus would
facilitate the corruption of the members of the new legislative assembly and eventually lead to the restoration of the ancient despotism. Colonies were not only wasteful and expensive, but posed a threat to constitutional government itself. The should therefore be granted unconditional independence, as a prererequisite to the establishment of unrestricted commercial relations, which would produce
mutual benefit to both Spain and Spanish Amarica.
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Readership: Scholars of modern British, European, and Latin American history; especially historians of ideas; historians of political thought; legal and constitutional historians; philosophers; specialists in Bentham and Utilitarianism.
| Authors, editors,
and contributors |
Jeremy Bentham
Edited by Philip Schofield, Lecturer in Laws, University College, London
General Editor: F. Rosen
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The specification in this catalogue, including without
limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations,
and month of publication, was as accurate as
possible at the time the catalogue was compiled.
Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we
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Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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