David Torrance examines Lord Selborne's conception of empire and, by implication, the nature of British imperialism, focusing on the Chinese labour controversy, the self-government issue, the development of racial segregation, and the creation of the Union of South Africa. He reassesses the role of the imperial factor in shaping the state, economy, and society of twentieth-century South Africa. Behind the debate over imperial policy, Torrance shows, were deep and bitter divisions that were inextricably linked to domestic tensions within Britain itself. The Strange Death of the Liberal Empire provides a clearer understanding of British imperial policy and of a crucial period in South African history.

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"Lucidly written, clearly argued, and impressively researched ... Torrance challenges many conclusions found in the available literature but goes far beyond most of them in both the careful analysis of policy and attitudes and the rigorous exploration of theoretical postulates." John Kendle, History, St John's College.