理查德·哈克卢伊特“向西殖民论”述评

A Review of Richard Hakluyt’s Theory of“Westward Colonization”

大英帝国不仅是大航海时代英国海外殖民扩张的产物,也是大英帝国启动之初帝国主义理论催生的结果,而对早期帝国主义理论做出重大贡献者,当属伊丽莎白一世统治后期著名的发现史家理查德·哈克卢伊特。哈克卢伊特提出的向西殖民论,以大航海早期欧洲的航海、探险与殖民实践为基础,以前人的相应研究为参照,充分表达了都铎英国要求分享海洋权益的民族愿望,直接促使了英国人走向海外、创建帝国的海外殖民扩张运动。

The British Empire was not only the product of the British overseas colonial expansion in the Age of Great Voyages,but also the result of the imperialist theory at the beginning of the British Empire.Credit often went to Richard Hakluyt as the originator of the early imperialist theory,who was a famous historian of discovery in the later period of Elizabeth’s reign.The theory of westward colonization proposed by Hakluyt,based on the voyages,explorations and colonial practices of Europe in the early days of the Great Voyage and with reference to the corresponding studies of forerunners,fully expressed Tudors’national desire to share maritime rights and interests,and directly promoted the colonial expansion movement of British people to go overseas and create an empire.