Sir William Keith Hancock (1898-1988) was a prominent Australian historian who wrote extensively on economics. Originally published in 1950, this book forms the substance of two lectures delivered by Hancock during the February of that year. Taking as its starting point the experience of the British Commonwealth, the text suggests that economic and political dependence are matters of degree, and that advancement or stagnation is to be explained by the interaction of economic, social and political influences. The first part of the text brings this complicated process into focus; the second part reviews the problems of development and welfare within the Commonwealth.

Discovering Monaro, a fascinating local history of an Australian region, is at the same time a contribution to the current debate on the environment and man's manipulation of it. Sir Keith Hancock examines critically the indictment, heralded by Plato in the Critias, that man is a creature who spoils his environment and in so doing spoils himself. He discovers in Monaro, as he did on the terraced hillsides of Tuscany forty years ago, a rhythm of spoiling, restoring and improving. Monaco, a region of nearly 6,000 square miles in Australia's south-eastern corner, is the main provider of water to the earth's driest continent. Sir Keith provides a detailed history of the land use of the area from palaeolithic times to the present day, thus explaining how boo generations of 'black' Australians and six generations of 'white' Australians have supported themselves on its grassy uplands and alpine water-sheds.

Sir Keith Hancock makes a four-pronged reconnaissance of international relations and, consequently, the prospects of human survival. He begins by discussing total war and 'small wars' and considers the relevance of this discussion, particularly in its economic aspects, to 'the cold war' and its costs. Sir Keith then turns to treaty-making, and in particular to Smuts's experience at Vereeniging in 1902 and Paris in 1919; he concludes that it is impossible to make a satisfactory peace settlement in the aftermath of total war, but that there are better prospects for negotiations during the 'cold war'. He goes on to examine Gandhian non-violence, particularly its origins in the Gandhi-Smuts conflict. He outlines the limitations of Gandhi's techniques and suggests that although they were successful against Smuts and Halifax, they would not necessarily have succeeded against Hitler and Stalin: for non-violence is not a substitute for military readiness. In his final section, Sir Keith surveys the developing international community and considers the present-day world in the perspective of history.

The great collection of letters and papers comprising the Smuts Papers has been assembled at the University of Cape Town by Dr Jean van der Poel, under Sir Keith Hancock's direction, since Smuts's death in 1950. The first four volumes of selections cover the period 1886-1919. The selections are divided into twelve parts, each with a short introductory section. Dr van der Poel has provided brief introductions to each letter, article or speech and has annotated every document. This volume contains the first five parts up to the peace negociations of Vereeniging and includes the Memoirs of the Boer War.

The great collection of letters and papers comprising the Smuts Papers has been assembled at the University of Cape Town by Dr Jean van der Poel, under Sir Keith Hancock's direction, since Smuts's death in 1950. The first four volumes of selections cover the period 1886-1919. The selections are divided into twelve parts, each with a short introductory section. Dr van der Poel has provided brief introductions to each letter, article or speech and has annotated every document. This volume covers the period from the end of the Boer War to self-government and the forming of the Union of South Africa.

The great collection of letters and papers comprising the Smuts Papers has been assembled at the University of Cape Town by Dr Jean van der Poel, under Sir Keith Hancock's direction, since Smuts's death in 1950. The first four volumes of selections cover the period 1886-1919. The selections are divided into twelve parts, each with a short introductory section. Dr van der Poel has provided brief introductions to each letter, article or speech and has annotated every document. This volume covers the peace negotiations at Versailles and includes the bibliographical notes and the general index.