Myths of Empire: Domestic Politics and International Ambition

342 Pages·1991·18.07 MB·English

by  Jack L. Snyder

Myths of Empire
A volume in the series
CORNELL STUDIES IN SECURITY AFFAIRS
edited by Robert J. Art, Robert Jervis, and Stephen M. Walt
A list of titles in this series is available at www.comellpress.comell.edu.
Myths of Empire
DOMESTIC POLITICS AND
INTERNATIONAL AMBITION
JACK SNYDER
Cornell University Press
ITHACA AND LONDON
Copyright © 1991 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book,
or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without
permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address
Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street,
Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 1991 by Cornell University Press
First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 1993
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Snyder, Jack L.
Myths of empire: domestic politics and international ambition / Jack Snyder.
p. cm.-(Cornell studies in security affairs)
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-9764-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Imperialism. 2. World politicS-19th century. 3. World politics-20th cen
tury. I. Title. II. Series.
JC359·S577 1991
325'·32---dC20 91-55052
Cornell University Press strives to utilize environmentally
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Paperback printing 10 9 8 7
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
The Myth of Security through Expansion 1
1.
2. Three Theories of Overexpansion 21
3· Germany and the Pattern of Late Development 66
4· Japan's Bid for Autarky 112
5· Social Imperialism in Victorian Britain 153
6. Soviet Politics and Strategic Learning 212
7· America's Cold War Consensus 255
8. Overexpansion: Origins and Antidotes 305
Index 323

Acknowledgments
At times while working on this book, I felt as overextended as the
empires I was studying. Fortunately I had many friends and allies who
tried their best to pull me out of the quagmires I blundered into.
Stephen Van Evera unquestionably heads the list. Many of the basic
concepts I used to organize my research are based on his work. It will
come as no surprise to those who know him that he was extremely
generous in offering creative, lucid comments throughout the project.
Michael Brown, John Gaddis, Joseph Grieco, Robert Jervis, David
Lake, Marc Trachtenberg, and Stephen Walt read the whole manuscript
and left a significant imprint on some of its main arguments. Michael
Desch, Michael Doyle, Jeff Frieden, Robert Gilpin, Ted Hopf, Chaim
Kaufmann, Paul Kennedy, Charles Kupchan, Robert Legvold, Helen
Milner, and John Mearsheimer read large parts and provided helpful
suggestions on both theory and substance. Jeff Frieden also tutored me
on the political economy of interest groups.
Michael Barnhart, Miles Kahler, James Morley, and Scott Sagan
provided expert criticism of the Japan chapter. Lynn Eden's knowl
edgeable, thorough, and theoretically astute critique of the America
chapter was a model of how to provide constructive comments on
other people's work. Kenneth Bourne and the late Roger Bullen, the
leading experts on Palmerston, were patient and incisive in their
attempts to curb the excesses of a political scientist who knew just
enough to be dangerous. Among the many students and colleagues
who commented on the argument of the Soviet chapter, I must espe
cially mention James Richter, on whose interpretations and advice I
relied heavily. Other helpful contributions on specific points are ac
knowledged in the notes.
Teresa Pelton Johnson provided extremely useful advice on the
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Myths of Empire
organization and presentation of the argument. She also did a miraculous
job of editing the International Security article that formed the basis of
the Soviet chapter, as those who saw the "before and after" can readily
attest. Alice Bennett copyedited the manuscript, making many im
provements throughout. Holly Bailey made several key suggestions
during the initial stages of the editorial process at Cornell University
Press. Kathleen McNamara prepared the index.
The National Council for Soviet and East European Research provided
financial support. I am grateful to International Securty and the MIT
Press for permission to reprint parts of "The Gorbachev Revolution: A
Waning of Soviet Expansionism?" vol. 12 (Winter 1987-88), and to
World Politics and the Johns Hopkins University Press to quote from
George Breslauer, "Ideology and Learning in Soviet Third World Poll:"
cy," vol. 39 (April 1987).
The book is dedicated to my parents, Robert E. and Irene E. Snyder.
J. S.
New York, New York
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Myths of Empire