Susan Pedersen Book order

"What happens to empires under international scrutiny? At the Peace Conference in Paris in 1919 Allied statesmen agreed to govern seized German and Ottoman territories under mandate from the newly-formed League of Nations. By professing their attachment to humanitarian norms and international law, they sought to undercut claims to self-determination and legitimize imperial rule. Yet, to their surprise, the very oversight mechanisms they created undermined their authority. As colonial nationalists, German revisionists, liberal humanitarians and African-American intellectuals sent petitions and representatives to Geneva, and as League inquiries and an international press exposed rebellions and scandals in territories under mandate, the imperial state lurched into crisis. [This book] offesr an entirely new interpretation of the role of internatuonal organizations in shaping the modern world order."--Back cover

[An] original, stimulating and thoroughly researched examination of how the new League managed to sustain a façade of trusteeship in a world of selfish imperial interests... This is a fascinating examination of empire in its final death throes. Literary Review, Richard Overy

This book offers a detailed comparative analysis of the social policies implemented in Britain and France during the tumultuous years from 1914 to 1945. It examines how each country's unique political, economic, and social contexts influenced their approaches to welfare, labor rights, and public health. By highlighting the similarities and differences in their responses to crises such as World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, the study provides valuable insights into the evolution of social policy in two significant European nations.