Hello everyone
I’d like to ask about the meaning of the phrase “has much to commend it” in the following passage:
By the second half of the eighteenth century Britain was the dominant force within this Atlantic economy. The idea that these factors played a significant role in British industrialization was first raised by the Caribbean historian Eric Williams in his book Capitalism and Slavery. When it was published over fifty years ago its arguments were dismissed, not always for good reasons (many were related to a refusal to accept his criticisms of Britain’s past). Historical work in the last couple of decades has shown that, with some modifications, his thesis has much to commend it.
Does the phrase mean that his thesis is very good, or does it mean that his thesis praises Britain in some respects?