12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
no guilt, no tears, and no longer an empire, March 27, 2001
This review is from: The Illustrated Rise and Fall of the British Empire (Hardcover)
At 350 pages the book has shrunk by half from the earlier edition. This version is also very heavily illustrated with just about every page containing at least one of the following: photograph, painting, map, or some other illustration of imperial memorabilia. Covering over 400 years of British rule across six continents and geographically covering half the globe, this book is a testament to an empire like no other the world has ever seen. That the British empire played a significant role in world history is beyond dispute; James says "what matters most today is that the British empire transformed the world...the present day demography, economy and political life of North America and much of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific owes much to former British rule and influence".
With such an opinion on the importance of Britain, it may be difficult for James to maintain balance. To his credit he does so admirably. He acknowledges that the experience of empire changed the British character - "it encouraged a sense of superiority [and] also fostered racial arrogance". This, he says, was tempered in that "deeply rooted liberal and evangelical ideals produced a powerful sense of imperial duty and mission". Ah!, the benevolent colonists and missionaries, but what of rapacious conquerors? James concedes that while the empire exhibited "a moral sense and flexibility" of the British people there was also "ruthlessness and rapacity". He is quick to soften this blow to British sensibilities by saying that "Britain's empire was a moral force and one for the good". Even it's demise was handled with grace, a function of the gentility and sagacity of Britain's leaders, rather than as a response to the demand for independence from it's subjects. That seems to be how James sees it. "It was Attlee, Macleod and Macmillan who were, I believe the real heroes of imperial retreat which they handled with considerable political adroitness. Unlike France's, Portugal's, or Russia's, Britain's empire did not dissolve in tears".
While James occassionally falls off the balance beam, landing heavily on the side of the 'positive' morality of empire rather than the evil that men do in the name of God, King and country, he concentrates hard on not slipping on another tricky exercise. "I have been as careful as possible to sidestep the quagmire of post imperial guilt, that peculiar angst which has troubled the British and American intelligentsia for the past 30 or so years". Perhaps this is why Mr James seems a little piqued with former subjects apparent ungratefulness with history, especially since they are the direct beneficiaries. "The years which saw the dissolution of the empire witnessed the last great migrations it had made possible. From 1948 onwards large numbers of West Indians, Indians, and Pakistanis and smaller numbers of West Africans, Maltese and Cypriots settled in Britain". James states that the UK has been multiracial since 1970 and "for this reason alone, it is worth looking at the making and nature of empire"...his exasperation with attempts to multiculturalize history coming through..."the moreso since it's history and that of it's creators is being excised from school syllabuses".
It's interesting how multiculturalism affects texts in the UK - excising that deemed offensive - while the same forces here seek inclusion of all other histories. It's sterilized or diluted history; either way it's manufactured history. Whether we agree or disagree with James view, we should applaud attempts at opinionated history - it's the only kind that remains readable.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
British Empire vs. American empire, May 11, 2009
This work is comprehensive in scope. The illustrations definitely complement the text. The book speaks to our times and illustrates how the Rise and Fall of the British Empire is both like and unlike the current geopolitical situation. The British early on were seldom in denial of their imperial aims and designs. Ambivalence seemed to emerge later. It would seem that America has always experienced more self reflection, denial, and ambivalence while pursuing our interests with equal gusto. Perhaps this is because we are the progeny of the British Empire and while we have not learned from history, it still casts a long shadow.
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4 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Depraved and sordid history, December 4, 2003
By A Customer
James heroically captures the depravity of the British Empire. From the exploits of the King Henry V and his eight wives, to the definitive naval victories of Lord Horatio Nelson in the Hudson Bay, this magnificent tome is a must-read for anyone who enjoys provocative, seductive storytelling. James is particularly successful in his portrayal of the moral bankruptcy which heralded the fall of the "greatest empire on the face of this earth. EVER."
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