Sir Herbert Butterfield was one of the leading British historians of the Twentieth Century . A diplomatic historian by training, he branched out into a variety of fields including historiography, the history of science and international theory. The International Thought of Herbert Butterfield brings together material from Butterfield's previously unpublished papers and a critical commentary from two leading Butterfield scholars: Paul Sharp and Karl Schweizer. They recover Butterfield's contribution to international thought, particularly his role as a founding member of the British Committee on the theory of international politics (also known as the English School).

Introduction * SECTION I: DIPLOMATIC HISTORY* Introduction * In Defense of Diplomatic History * Prussia's Attempt to Make Separate Peace with Napoleon after Jena * Austrian Policy and the Austrian Attempt to Bring About Peace *Crowe's Memorandum of January 1, 1907 * Sir Edward Grey in July 1914 * SECTION II: FAITH AND ETHICS IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS * Introduction * Christianity and Human Problems * Human Nature and Human Culpability * Morality and Human Progress * Moral Judgments in History * The Moral Framework of International Relations * SECTION III: INTERNATIONAL THEORY * Introduction * Notes for a Discussion of the Theory of International Politics * The Great Powers * The Historic 'States-Systems' * Comments on Hedley Bull's Paper on the Grotian Conception of International Relations * SECTION IV: DIPLOMACY * Introduction * The Development of Diplomacy * The New Diplomacy and Historical Diplomacy * The Changing Moral Framework * The Balance of Power * Conclusion