Communications and 'Imperial Overstretch': Lessons from the Eighteenth-Century French Atlantic

Banks reflects both the dangers of imperial overstretch in making human and monetary commitments to empire, and the lessons of communications difficulties in the eighteenth century for imperial efforts, even in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, he suggests that the historical continuity and exp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:French colonial history 2005, Vol.6, p.17-32
Main Author: Banks, Kenneth J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
18th century
Colonies & territories
Imperialism
Language history
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Summary:Banks reflects both the dangers of imperial overstretch in making human and monetary commitments to empire, and the lessons of communications difficulties in the eighteenth century for imperial efforts, even in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, he suggests that the historical continuity and experience with informal imperial ventures by France and its colonies is highly relevant to current debates over empire in the US and western democracies today.
ISSN:1539-3402
1543-7787
DOI:10.1353/fch.2005.0002