The Sense of Power
Studies in the Ideas of Canadian Imperialism, 1867-1914, Second Edition
- Publisher
- University of Toronto Press
- Initial publish date
- May 2013
- Category
- General, North America, Great Britain
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781442615779
- Publish Date
- May 2013
- List Price
- $49.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781442668980
- Publish Date
- Nov 2013
- List Price
- $39.95
Add it to your shelf
Where to buy it
Description
Prior to the publication of The Sense of Power most studies of the Canadian movement for imperial unity focused on commercial policy and military and naval cooperation. This influential book demonstrated that the movement – which held that Canada could only become a great nation within the British Empire – was significantly influenced by its leading advocates’ belief in nationalism. Carl Berger explores the emotional appeal and intellectual context of this belief, arguing that these advocates’ support of imperial unity can be grasped only in terms of their commitment to certain conservative values and in relation to their conception of Canada.
The Sense of Power was commended by the Toronto Star when it was first published as “entertaining as well as brilliant,” and in 2011 Ramsay Cook noted that “few first books, or for that matter few books, have made as marked an impact on the interpretation of a major theme in Canadian history.” This second edition brings to life the work’s incisive analysis and its important contribution to Canadian intellectual history.
About the author
Carl Berger, FRSC, is an emeritus professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto.