The Quest for Security
Sovereignty, Race, and the Defense of the British Empire, 1898–1931

Colonial hierarchy and race fueled rapid militarization in the British Empire that shaped the violent course of the twentieth century.

Jesse Tumblin (Author)

9781108498746, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 31 October 2019

312 pages, 3 b/w illus. 1 table
23.5 x 15.8 x 2 cm, 0.61 kg

'A highly revealing exploration of the nexus between imperial security concerns and international sovereignty that ultimately led to the Statute of Westminster. The Quest for Security is especially valuable for its inclusion of Ireland and India alongside the white settler dominions. Strongly recommended.' John Beeler, University of Alabama

The British Empire entered the twentieth century in a state of crisis, with many in the legal establishment fearing that the British constitution could no longer cope with the complexity of imperial institutions. At the same time, the military establishment feared the empire was becoming impossible to defend from multiplying threats. In this innovative study, Jesse Tumblin shows how Britain and its largest colonies, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa, were swept up in a collective effort to secure the Empire in the early twentieth century. The hierarchy of colonial politics created powerful incentives for colonies to militarize before World War I, reshaping their constitutional and racial relationships toward a dream beyond colonial status. The colonial backstory of a century of war and violence shows how these dreams made 'security' the dominating feature of contemporary politics.

Introduction
1. Colonial federationism, security, and the South African War
2. Lessons of South Africa: security and political culture in the British world, 1902–1906
3. Security, race, and dominion status, 1907–1909
4. The collapse of consensus and control, 1910–1914
5. Race, conscription, and the meaning of sovereignty in war
6. The sharp sickle: new realities of sovereignty in the British Empire, 1918–1926
Epilogue – the Statute of Westminster: a once and future sovereignty

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS], Colonialism & imperialism [HBTQ], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]