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Power over Peoples: Technology, Environments, and Western Imperialism, 1400 to the Present (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)

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Once in a while, it is enjoyable to relive grand historic moments and refresh your general history knowledge. In particular, from a perspective, which may even claim to foretell the natural course of history.

Professor Daniel Headrick examines the period of imperial conquests from the 15th century to present. His book describes the impact of European technological developments on the policies of European monarchs, states and, of course, the deeds and behaviour of people, who carried them out. In a catching narrative the author argues, that throughout the course of history, technological advances and know-how allowed to Europeans to get a power over nature, which was required to gain power over peoples. But not always. Striking victories, as that of Cortés in Central America, turned into draws or even defeats, for example, in case of Portuguese blue-water navies against brown-water navies in Asia in the course of 16th century, or the attempts to penetrate Africa for almost four hundred years.

Headrick underlines, that the key to success was the ability of Europeans to capitalize on temporary advances in technology, but the role of human factors of conquerors, as it may seem at first glance, was not decisive. The technological gap, however, was not always large enough to continue imperial conquests. The power of the technology was ephermal. Most notably, when the adversaries had begun to assimilate European tactics and to use their weapons; the use of horses by Indians, probably, being one of the best examples. The era of industrial revolutions, again provided new incentives for further expansions. However, technology alone, Headrick argues, could not secure lasting power over peoples. He quotes Mao Zedung, who has said that: "Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive"(p.364).

In some chapters, and in choosing the examples to prove his point, the author has been somewhat selective. The whole chapter is devoted to the role of steamboats in expanding European control over vast territories, at the same time nothing being said about railways. Last two chapters are devoted to air control and bombing raids, which, according to Headrick, "more often reinforced the targeted populations will to fight" (p.363). At the same time, the author does not pay any regard to the destructive power of the atomic bomb, which in a swift, though most cruel manner cowed into submission remaining belligerents at the end of the second world war.

The author's conclusion at the end is really thought provoking. He says, that ever improving technology ensures that political and military defeats will come later, and at greater cost" (p.364), quoting Murray and Scales. One could partly agree. However, being aware, that the states, which own modern technologies, can also today win wars over peoples, which do not possess them, as effectively as did Cortés in Tenochtitlán. The difference is, that peoples are more interlinked than ever, which renders any act of barbarism in comparative and historical perspective of previous centuries, hardly imaginable.

All in all, a very fascinating book, which enlarged my horizon about imperial conquests from the most interesting perspective.