Myths of Empire

By Jack L. Snyder

Book Overview

Overextension is the common pitfall of empires. Why does it occur? What are the forces that cause the great powers of the industrial era to pursue aggressive foreign policies? Jack Snyder identifies recurrent myths of empire, describes the varieties of overextension to which they lead, and criticizes the traditional explanations offered by historians and political scientists.He tests three competing theories--realism, misperception, and domestic coalition politics--against five detailed case studies: early twentieth-century Germany, Japan in the interwar period, Great Britain in the Victorian era, the Soviet Union after World War II, and the United States during the Cold War. The resulting insights run counter to much that has been written about these apparently familiar instances of empire building.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801425328
• ISBN13: 9780801425325
• Release Date: September 1991
• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Brilliant.

Snyder's well researched and beautifully written piece is of immense empirical and theoretical value, trying to explain overxpansion, countering the limited application of Neorealism to foreign policy and severely injuring strategic-culture explanations (whose origins are attributed to Snyder himself in the late 70's!).

A very interesting thesis

A unique look at how domestic politics lead to imperial over-stretch. A classic in the poli sci field that will guide thinkers for years to come.