Food for Thought

Week 12: Tuesday, April 12

Benjamin Disraeli, leader of Britain's Conservative (or Tory) Party, delivered his speech at the Crystal Palace in 1872 in an attempt to express the fundamental differences between his party and the Liberals. Much of his speech concerns domestic politics, but a significant portion addresses imperial issues.

1) According to Disraeli, what were the three great objects of the Tory Party? How had the Liberals undermined these objects?

2) What did Disraeli want Britain's relationship to its colonies to be? From Disraeli's perspective, how did the British Empire contribute to British identity and national character?

3) Why did Gobineau believe people are unequal? In other words, what proved to him that they were unequal? On what grounds did he believe one people was superior to another?

4) Did Gobineau believe that any race had the potential to progress intellectually to the highest heights of civilization? Why not? What proof did he provide?

Other Questions

1) In what ways did Gobineau differ from Herder?