A Union for Empire: Political Thought and the British Union of 1707

by John Robertson

Overview

This volume of scholarly essays explores the ideas of union and empire current at the time of the Union between Scotland and England in 1707. It demonstrates for the first time the wider significance of the Union in Europe and throughout the English-speaking world. It is a major contribution to the growing interest in "British" history, but should also be of considerable interest to all students of political and economic unions, a subject of increasing importance and obvious relevance in contemporary Britain, Europe and North America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521431132
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	04/20/1995
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.06(d)

Table of Contents

Notes on contributors; Preface; Part I. Unions, Universal Monarchy and Empire: 1. Empire and union: two concepts of the early modern European political order John Robertson; 2. The English debate over universal monarchy Steven Pincus; 3. Power, commerce and natural law in Daniel Defoe's political writings 1698–1707 Laurence Dickey; 4. The Scottish vision of empire: intellectual origins of the Darien venture David Armitage; Part II. The Scottish Setting: 5. Scottish cultural change 1660–1710 and the Union of 1707 Roger L. Emerson; 6. Religious realignment between the Restoration and Union Colin Kidd; Part III. The Issues of Sovereignty: 7. Protestant theologies, limited sovereignties: natural law and conditions of union in the German Empire, the Netherlands and Great Britain James Moore and Michael Silverthorne; 8. An elusive sovereignty. The course of the Union debate in Scotland 1698–1707 John Robertson; 9. From 'Revolution principles' to Union: Daniel Defoe's intervention in the Scottish debate Katherine R. Penovich; 10. Scottish Law, Scottish lawyers and the status of the Union John W. Cairns; Part IV. Union and Empire in the Eighteenth-Century British World: 11. Ireland without Union: Molyneux and his legacy Jacqueline Hill; 12. The legacy of British Union for the North American colonies: provincial elites and the problem of Imperial Union Ned Landsman; 13. Empire, state and confederation: the War of American Independence as a crisis in multiple monarchy J. G. A. Pocock; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"This is an important collection of essays, and one which should be read by every serious student of the Union and its consequences. Its appeal should be wider than that, and deservedly so, as it adds yet another contribution to the study of Scottish history in what is properly its British, European, and Atlantic context." Christopher Whatley, Books in Review

"It is a useful collection, worth having if only for Pocock's splendid concluding piece, which is worth a review all by itself." Scotia

"...a fine collection..." Brian P. Levack, Albion

"A Union for Empire offers a wealth of fine full generalizations on a wide range of subjects related to a major historical event. All of the articles are thoroughly researched and present well-considered these." Warren M. Elofson, Journal of Modern History

From the Publisher