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Covenants without Swords: Idealist Liberalism and the Spirit of Empire
Covenants without Swords examines an enduring tension within liberal theory: that between many liberals' professed commitment to universal equality on the one hand, and their historic support for the politics of hierarchy and empire on the other. It does so by examining the work of two extremely influential British liberals and internationalists, Gilbert Murray and Alfred Zimmern. Jeanne Morefield mounts a forceful challenge to disciplinary boundaries by arguing that this tension, on both the domestic and international levels, is best understood as frequently arising from the same, liberal reformist political aim―namely, the aim of fashioning a socially conscious liberalism that ultimately reifies putatively natural, preliberal notions of paternalistic order.
Morefield also questions conventional analyses of interwar thought by resurrecting the work of Murray and Zimmern, and by linking their approaches to liberal internationalism with the ossified notion of sovereignty that continues to trouble international politics to this day. Ultimately, Morefield argues, these two thinkers' drift toward conservative and imperialist understandings of international order was the result of a more general difficulty still faced by liberals today: how to adequately define community in liberal terms without sacrificing these terms themselves. Moreover, Covenants without Swords suggests that Murray and Zimmern's work offers a cautionary historical example for the cadre of post-September 11th "new imperialists" who believe it possible to combine a liberal commitment to equality with an American Empire.
Morefield also questions conventional analyses of interwar thought by resurrecting the work of Murray and Zimmern, and by linking their approaches to liberal internationalism with the ossified notion of sovereignty that continues to trouble international politics to this day. Ultimately, Morefield argues, these two thinkers' drift toward conservative and imperialist understandings of international order was the result of a more general difficulty still faced by liberals today: how to adequately define community in liberal terms without sacrificing these terms themselves. Moreover, Covenants without Swords suggests that Murray and Zimmern's work offers a cautionary historical example for the cadre of post-September 11th "new imperialists" who believe it possible to combine a liberal commitment to equality with an American Empire.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2004
23 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne Morefield
6 books3 followersJeanne Morefield is Associate Professor of Political Theory and Fellow at New College. She is also a Non-Residential Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Washington D.C. Before coming to Oxford she taught as Associate Professor of Political Theory at the University of Birmingham, Professor of Politics at Whitman College, and was a Professorial Fellow at The Institute for Social Justice, Australian Catholic University. Between 2016 and 2019 she served as Co-President of the Association for Political Theory.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Dr. Morefield will be taking a British Academy and Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship.
Dr. Morefield’s scholarship sits at the intersection of political theory, international relations, and intellectual history with a particular focus on the relationship between liberalism, imperialism, and internationalism in Britain and America. She is the author of Covenants Without Swords: Idealist Liberalism and the Spirit of Empire (Princeton, 2005), Empires Without Imperialism: Anglo American Decline and the Politic of Deflection (Oxford, 2014) and the forthcoming Unsettling the World: Edward Said and Political Theory (Rowman and Littlefield, 2022). Her next book project, The Political Worlds of Sex Trafficking: From the League of Nations to QAnon, examines the role of sex trafficking panics in the construction and contestation of global liberalism. Morefield’s popular work has appeared in The Boston Review, Jacobin, Responsible Statecraft, and The New Statesman.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Dr. Morefield will be taking a British Academy and Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship.
Dr. Morefield’s scholarship sits at the intersection of political theory, international relations, and intellectual history with a particular focus on the relationship between liberalism, imperialism, and internationalism in Britain and America. She is the author of Covenants Without Swords: Idealist Liberalism and the Spirit of Empire (Princeton, 2005), Empires Without Imperialism: Anglo American Decline and the Politic of Deflection (Oxford, 2014) and the forthcoming Unsettling the World: Edward Said and Political Theory (Rowman and Littlefield, 2022). Her next book project, The Political Worlds of Sex Trafficking: From the League of Nations to QAnon, examines the role of sex trafficking panics in the construction and contestation of global liberalism. Morefield’s popular work has appeared in The Boston Review, Jacobin, Responsible Statecraft, and The New Statesman.
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January 19, 2024
"Covenants without Swords: Idealist Liberalism and the Spirit of Empire" by Jeanne Morefield, published in 2005, stands as a scholarly exploration of the historical and philosophical underpinnings of liberal internationalism. Through a meticulous examination of key intellectual figures and their writings, Morefield offers a critical analysis of the idealist liberal tradition and its impact on the trajectory of international relations.
A notable strength of the book lies in its depth of historical and philosophical research. Morefield traces the evolution of idealist liberal thought from the late 19th to the early 20th century, drawing on the works of figures such as Woodrow Wilson, John Dewey, and Walter Lippmann. By placing these thinkers in their historical contexts, she unpacks the intricate relationship between their ideas and the broader political landscape, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the intellectual foundations of liberal internationalism.
Morefield's critical engagement with idealist liberalism adds an important dimension to the book. She challenges conventional narratives by highlighting the internal contradictions within liberal thought, particularly its simultaneous commitment to both ethical principles and imperialist endeavors. This critical perspective contributes to ongoing debates within international relations theory, forcing readers to confront the complexities and inherent tensions within liberal conceptions of global order.
However, the book's academic rigor and theoretical depth may present challenges for readers who are not well-versed in the history of political thought or international relations theory. Morefield's intricate analyses assume a certain level of familiarity with the intellectual milieu of the time and may be less accessible to a broader audience.
Moreover, while the book is an important contribution to the field, some scholars may argue that it focuses primarily on a specific strand of liberal thought, potentially overlooking the diversity of liberal perspectives and their various interpretations over time.
“Covenants without Swords" is a thought-provoking and scholarly examination of idealist liberal thought and its implications for international relations. Jeanne Morefield's historical and philosophical depth enriches our understanding of the complexities within liberal internationalism, offering a critical lens on the relationship between ethical ideals and geopolitical realities. While the book's academic nature may limit its reach, it remains an essential read for scholars and students interested in the intellectual history of international relations.
GPT
A notable strength of the book lies in its depth of historical and philosophical research. Morefield traces the evolution of idealist liberal thought from the late 19th to the early 20th century, drawing on the works of figures such as Woodrow Wilson, John Dewey, and Walter Lippmann. By placing these thinkers in their historical contexts, she unpacks the intricate relationship between their ideas and the broader political landscape, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the intellectual foundations of liberal internationalism.
Morefield's critical engagement with idealist liberalism adds an important dimension to the book. She challenges conventional narratives by highlighting the internal contradictions within liberal thought, particularly its simultaneous commitment to both ethical principles and imperialist endeavors. This critical perspective contributes to ongoing debates within international relations theory, forcing readers to confront the complexities and inherent tensions within liberal conceptions of global order.
However, the book's academic rigor and theoretical depth may present challenges for readers who are not well-versed in the history of political thought or international relations theory. Morefield's intricate analyses assume a certain level of familiarity with the intellectual milieu of the time and may be less accessible to a broader audience.
Moreover, while the book is an important contribution to the field, some scholars may argue that it focuses primarily on a specific strand of liberal thought, potentially overlooking the diversity of liberal perspectives and their various interpretations over time.
“Covenants without Swords" is a thought-provoking and scholarly examination of idealist liberal thought and its implications for international relations. Jeanne Morefield's historical and philosophical depth enriches our understanding of the complexities within liberal internationalism, offering a critical lens on the relationship between ethical ideals and geopolitical realities. While the book's academic nature may limit its reach, it remains an essential read for scholars and students interested in the intellectual history of international relations.
GPT
Displaying 1 of 1 review