Routledge Trade, Empire and British Foreign Policy 1689-1815 - Routledge

This scholarly volume by Routledge examines how trade and empire shaped British foreign policy during the transformative period from 1689 to 1815. Jeremy Black, a leading authority on British diplomatic history, analyses extensive archival material to explore the relationship between commercial interests, imperial ambitions and state policy-making. The work investigates how foreign policy served both economic and territorial goals, whilst examining the framework of international competition that defined this era. Black traces how conceptualizations of commercial and imperial objectives evolved throughout the period, offering insights into the mechanisms through which Britain's foreign policy decisions reflected and advanced its commercial expansion and imperial reach. This book is essential for historians, policy researchers and students seeking to understand how mercantile concerns influenced Britain's diplomatic strategy during a formative age of global power.