The Awakening of Asia. By H. M. Hyndman. (Cassell. 7s.
6d. net.)—Mr. Hyndman finds himself forced to the conclusion that European domination of the East has been almost wholly harmful, and The Awakening of Asia is an endeavour to justify this opinion. His indictment of England's dealings with the East is severe, but in some matters incontrovertible. Few will be able to excuse the Opium Wars of 1842 and 1856; and we cannot hope to defend in detail all our earlier policy in India, though we maintain, in opposition to Mr Hyndman, that in their general result our activities have been beneficial. Nor can we accept the assumption that our administration necessarily stands condemned because, as in the case of Oude, it set aside the wishes of the population. Self-determination is no doubt a principle of value, but one which can only be applied within limits. Mr. Hyndman would, for example, scarcely maintain that a civilized country should tolerate cannibalism, even though a plebiscite of the community were to show that not only the prospective eaters but the probable victims alike favoured the maintenance of a hallowed primeval institution !
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