In the original dust jacket. Red cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

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Please view our photographs and read the rubric on the inside of the dust jacket of details for Kenneth J. Calder’s book, Britain and the Origins of the New Europe 1914–1918, published by Cambridge University Press in 1976. This book is a highly regarded academic study examining how British foreign policy shifted during the First World War to support national self-determination in Eastern Europe. 

A copy of this 1976 Cambridge University Press hardback edition in Good condition generally commands a used market value between £15.00 and £26.00, depending on whether it includes the original dust jacket. 

Historical Analysis

Calder’s work provides a meticulous, archive-driven exploration of a major diplomatic transformation. 

• The Core Argument: Calder argues that the British government did not start the war with a grand, theoretical plan to restructure Eastern Europe or champion national self-determination. Instead, British policy evolved as a pragmatic, reactive response to wartime conditions and strategic pressures. 
• The Subject Nationalities: The text focuses heavily on Britain’s interactions with the three primary subject nationalities of the collapsing Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires: the Poles, Czechoslovaks, and Yugoslavs.
• Pragmatism Over Idealism: The book traces how initial British indifference in 1914 shifted by 1918 into a firm commitment to the independence of these nations. Calder demonstrates that this was driven by practical military intelligence, propaganda networks, espionage, and the creation of foreign military units, rather than the idealistic “New Europe” rhetoric that emerged later in the war. 
• Primary Evidence: The historical authority of the book relies heavily on official British government records and private political collections declassified in the mid-20th century. 

Current Market Price & Valuation

As an out-of-print monograph from the Cambridge University Press LSE Monographs in International Studies series, its value relies on academic scarcity rather than casual collectibility. 

• Est. Price Range: Copies on specialist platforms like AbeBooks typically range from £12.00 to £22.00  plus shipping. 
• Condition Factors: This copy is in Good condition, it sits firmly in the middle of this range. It retains an intact dust jacket, it will trend toward the higher end (£22 –£26).