Humanitarian Intervention
A History

A pioneering account of responses to oppression, persecution and mass atrocities from the sixteenth century to the late twentieth century.

Brendan Simms (Edited by), D. J. B. Trim (Edited by)

9780521190275, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 7 April 2011

426 pages, 7 maps
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.79 kg

'Within the vast literature on the issue of humanitarian intervention this is an extraordinary book. It sheds light on the historical development of this concept from the most varied angles and the insights it offers are in many ways enlightening … this book is highly recommendable for everyone interested in the question of humanitarian intervention and in the history of international law in general.' Peter Hilpold, Europa Ethnica

The dilemma of how best to protect human rights is one of the most persistent problems facing the international community today. This unique and wide-ranging history of humanitarian intervention examines responses to oppression, persecution and mass atrocities from the emergence of the international state system and international law in the late sixteenth century, to the end of the twentieth century. Leading scholars show how opposition to tyranny and to religious persecution evolved from notions of the common interests of 'Christendom' to ultimately incorporate all people under the concept of 'human rights'. As well as examining specific episodes of intervention, the authors consider how these have been perceived and justified over time, and offer important new insights into ideas of national sovereignty, international relations and law, as well as political thought and the development of current theories of 'international community'.

1. Towards a history of humanitarian intervention Brendan Simms and D. J. B. Trim
Part I. Early-Modern Precedents: 2. 'If a prince use tyrannie towards his people': interventions on behalf of foreign populations in early-modern Europe D. J. B. Trim
3. The Protestant interest and the history of humanitarian intervention, c.1685–c.1756 Andrew Thompson
4. 'The age of chivalry is not dead': the idea of humanitarian intervention in the era of Burke Brendan Simms
Part II. The Great Powers and the Ottoman Empire: 5. 'From an umpire to a competitor': Castlereagh, Canning and the issue of international intervention in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars John Bew
6. Intervening in the Jewish question, 1840–78 Abigail Green
7. The 'principles of humanity' and the European powers' intervention in Ottoman Lebanon and Syria in 1860–1 Davide Rodogno
8. The guarantees of humanity: the Concert of Europe and the origins of the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877 Matthias Schulz
9. The European powers' intervention in Macedonia, 1903–8: an instance of humanitarian intervention? Davide Rodogno
Part III. Intervening in Africa: 10. The price of legitimacy in humanitarian intervention: Britain, the European powers and the abolition of the West African slave trade, 1807–67 Maeve Ryan
11. British anti-slave trade and anti-slavery policy in East Africa, Arabia, and Turkey in the late nineteenth century William Mulligan
12. The origins of humanitarian intervention in Sudan: Anglo-American missionaries after 1899 Gideon Mailer
Part IV. Non-European States: 13. Humanitarian intervention, democracy, and imperialism: the American war with Spain, 1898, and after Mike Sewell
14. The innovation of the Jackson–Vanik Amendment Thomas Probert
15. Fraternal aid, self-defence, or self-interest? Vietnam's intervention in Cambodia (1978–89) Sophie Quinn-Judge
Part V. Postscript: 16. Humanitarian intervention since 1990 and 'liberal interventionism' Matthew Jamison
17. Humanitarian intervention in historical perspective D. J. B. Trim.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS], 21st century history: from c 2000 - [HBLX], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], General & world history [HBG]