Historians have always known that nineteenth-century British politics was shaped by forces which worked across national boundaries. But there has been relatively little reflection on the wider interpretative consequences of adopting a ‘transnational’ perspective. This essay asks how transnational approaches can help us make sense of nineteenth-century Britain’s distinctive political experiences, and explores some of the most significant ways in which British political life was affected by connections and exchanges with foreign states and empires. It notes that some international interactions mattered more than others, and that it is vital to be precise about their dynamics. The essay concludes that attempts to analyse nineteenth-century British politics in isolation from its international and transnational contexts inevitably miss essential parts of the picture.
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