***THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER*** In the eighteenth century, India's share of the world economy was as large as Europe's. By 1947, after two centuries of British rule, it had decreased six-fold. Beyond conquest and deception, the Empire blew rebels from cannon, massacred unarmed protesters, entrenched institutionalised racism, and caused millions to die from starvation. British imperialism justified itself as enlightened despotism for the benefit of the governed, but Shashi Tharoor takes on and demolishes this position, demonstrating how every supposed imperial 'gift' from the railways to the rule of law was designed in Britain's interests alone. He goes on to show how Britain's Industrial Revolution was founded on India s deindustrialisation, and the destruction of its textile industry. In this bold and incisive reassessment of colonialism, Tharoor exposes to devastating effect the inglorious reality of Britain's stained Indian legacy.
The content of Inglorious Empire was exceptional. It was a well-researched counter to the too often made claims that British Colonialism was a positive for the countries that they invaded. Shashi Tharoor is candid about his disagreement with the claims of colonial apologists, while still appreciating the parts of British culture that speak to him today. He makes clear that hating British imperialism is not synonymous with hating all things British, as so many apologists would have you think.
The only reason Inglorious Empire wasn't a five star read for me was that it felt rushed and disjointed. The ideas were all there, but there were parts of the book that felt like I'd reached the end, only for a new argument to start again in the next chapter. It didn't flow as well as it should, and there were parts that I found repetitive. Still, it wasn't bad enough to detract from my overall enjoyment and my opinion that Inglorious Empire is a profoundly important book.
