Arrested Development: British Imperial Preference Versus the Open Door, 1903–19

Malcomson, “Arrested Development”: From colonial times onward there was a tension between the call of the United States for free trade and open market access and the British empire’s desire to control the pace and nature of imperial development through devices such as tariffs. The British official embrace of free trade after the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 marked a major change, but imperial markets continued to be favored by London and British imperialists often advocated forms of Imperial Preference. Their efforts culminated in the launch of new preference initiatives at the turn of the century and into the interwar period. The US meanwhile adopted its own strong tariff policies in 1890 while also pressing for an Open Door abroad. This presentation will sketch US-British tensions over ideal political economy in the 19^th century, then look in detail at the points of confrontation between the two powers in the period 1890 (when the US’s McKinley tariff was launched) to 1920 (when immediate postwar negotiations ended in a renewed British imperial preference and a renewed US commitment to free trade).