Description
Book SynopsisThe British Imperial Century provides a concise but comprehensive overview of the formation and administration of the empire from its origins in the early nineteenth century, to its climax at mid-century, to its denouement on the eve of the First World War. Considering the impact of British imperial rule and influence on subject peoples, Timothy H. Parsons explores the themes of cross-cultural social and environmental interaction from a world history perspective. He traces the transition from informal to formal empire, which broadened and intensified Britain''s relations with Asia, Africa, and the western hemisphere. The establishment of extensive colonies and protectorates in Africa, the occupation of Egypt, the declaration of the Raj in India, and increased economic and political intervention in Latin America and in the Chinese and Ottoman empires brought ever-larger numbers of non-European peoples and cultures under either the influence or direct authority of the British Crown.By co
Trade ReviewThis history of the British imperial world in the nineteenth century is as engaging and informative an introduction to the subject as you’ll find. In a substantially revised edition that incorporates recent scholarship, Parsons displays all the qualities that distinguish his work as a historian, including lucid prose, sound judgment, and penetrating insight. Students and specialists alike will enjoy and benefit from this book. -- Dane Kennedy, George Washington University
Imperial history all too often masquerades as world history, while in reality presenting readers with the restricted view from the gunboat or the cabinet office. In this rich interpretation, written with admirable clarity and verve, Parsons offers a genuinely world historical perspective on Britain’s nineteenth-century empire, one that pays as much attention to the experience of subject populations as to metropolitan elites. The expansion of empire is shown to be a major engine of globalization, but the character of that empire was shaped as much from beneath and within as from above. -- Peter Crooks, Trinity College Dublin
This revised survey of the long nineteenth-century empire offers a dispassionate, factual account of the British in their successes and failures at ruling and exploiting others. Material drawn from recent scholarship challenges a conventional story and invites us to argue and reflect, thereby engaging both fans of empire and those who fervently dissent. -- Susan Pennybacker, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Table of ContentsList of Maps Preface to the Second Edition Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 The Imperial Century Chapter 3 India Chapter 4 Africa Chapter 5 Imperial Influence Chapter 6 Empire and Globalization Chapter 7 Historiography Index About the Author
