Michael N. Barnett Quotes
Great Powers must recognize that effective nation building requires not only the heart of the humanitarian but also the hubris of an imperialist.
Michael Barnett, Political Scientist, “Nation Building’s New Face,” Foreign Policy November/December, 2002
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Chamberlain’s policy was to appease Hitler and Germany to avoid war. Although he did not see Czechoslavkia as a critical British national interest and claimed he had secured peace {585941} , the reality was that he gave Germany room to start its aggression which would engulf all of Europe and much of the world. The British became the only bulwark against Hitler until the Russians stopped the Germans and America entered the war.
The great European powers were attending an International Congress—Summit Meeting of the heads of government and their diplomats to deal with the crisis of Tsarist Russian military expansionism. None of the other European powers of the time wanted or could afford war so Russia could only be thwarted by Great Britain. There were many in England who thought that the British should not even attend and should send troops immediately. The Queen and the Royal Family were among those. At the Congress Disraeli, who had much personal affection for Queen Victoria, wanted to reassure her. 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. If the Congress did not succeed the mainland of Europe would have been at war. Disraeli obtained everything England wanted. See Russian Ambassador Prince Gortchakoff’s observation.
The American concepts of democracy and human rights have been resented when U. S. policy advocated other nation’s adhering to them.
Stanley was angered because Leopold had revoked what he thought had been a promise.
Michael N. Barnett is a Constructivist scholar and professor of international relations at the Elliott School of International Affairs, in Washington, D.C. His research has been in the areas of international organizations, international relations theory, and Middle Eastern politics. With Emanuel Adler, he reintroduced the concept of security community to international relations. In 2010, Barnett was named University Professor of International Affairs and Political Science at George Washington University.
