On the Coattails of Empire: Norway and Imperial Internationalism in the Time of the League of Nations

Abstract

The popular perception concerning Norway's particular commitment to peace and impartiality in international politics has from time to time been bracketed by the fact that the country has no colonial past. Such an understanding fails to address Norway's rise to a major position in the global shipping system and maritime trade during the colonial era and that this economic expansion had only been possible due to Britain's liberal trade policy and imperial rule. The article shows that reliance on Britain's global leadership moulded Norway's vision of the emerging international order in the aftermath of World War I and was one of the most crucial arguments for the country to become a member of the League of Nations. It argues that Norway's advocacy of free trade as a key to international peace in the interwar period has to be seen in the light of the country's commercial interests and assumptions about Britain's civilizing mission.