National Boundaries Quotes
His definition of Russian territory included any area that the Czars claimed which included Poland, the Baltic States, the Ukraine, the Caucuses, but at the time of the speech, Russia was fighting to keep its existing territory.
While Wilson is often thought of a humanist and a man committed to World peace and national rights of independence, he was also a committed economic imperialist. See {585454} for another example.
This principle was at odds with the European scramble for Africa and other colonies which followed. When the colonial empires fell apart, Mill’s principle was considered valid by most. However, when Hawaii and Alaska became States of the United States, the counterexample to the principle was born. With modern communications and transportation distance becomes a less important factor. What are now contiguous trade blocks and federations may well develop into noncontiguous sets of land affiliated as a single state.
He was one of the first to recognize this phenomenon. See the related quotes for others who were early observers of the coming changes.
