I’m too young to remember a map of the British Empire on the wall at school, but I can remember cheering the new president, Jomo Kenyatta, as a small child in Kenya on independence day.
There are several things I take away from this thought-provoking new book from John Oliphant, all of which I was aware of, but now see in a wider context. The first is how the deep injustice of empire building seems to have been accepted by the establishment.
It is hard to view the claiming of a country through the mind set of those who led the way. For example, the group of enterprising merchants from Dorchester in Dorset who claimed New England for themselves seem to be relieved when the indigenous population were decimated by the diseases they brought.
I was also struck by the complex blend of social, political, economic and religious motives which underpinned the expansion of empires. A similar pattern seems to endure, whether in Ireland or India, where the British exploit any resources in the name of trade.
John Oliphant manages to sustain an engaging narrative throughout the book, which is packed with surprising details, which I recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of the British empire.
Tony Riches
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About the Author
John Oliphant's core research area is the mid-eighteenth century American frontier and he has lectured in London, Scotland, Pennsylvania and Memphis. Find out more from his website https://johnoliphant.net/ and find him on Twitter @Empire18thC
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