Cultural Dessert

'The Anarchy' by William Dalrymple

16 June 2023

Inspired by the excellent Empire podcast, presented by the historians William Dalrymple and Anita Anand (reviewed here in January 2023), I have just got around to reading ‘The Anarchy’ - William Dalrymple’s fascinating book explaining the rise and fall of the East India Company. The story of how “India’s transition to colonialism took place through the mechanism of a for-profit corporation which existed entirely for the purpose of enriching its investors” is truly incredible, appalling and chilling - not least how much of the company’s metamorphosis from trader to army to leader of a continent seems to have come about through fairly random happenstance and luck. The book taught me much I didn’t know about the history of India but also showed me connections I was completely unaware of with the American War of Independence, the Napoleonic Wars and much more. As William Dalrymple concludes: “The East India Company remains today history’s most ominous warning about the potential for the abuse of corporate power - and the insidious means by which the interests of shareholders can seemingly become those of the state”. ‘The Anarchy’ is essential reading.

Labels: Books

posted by Robin Simpson @ 11:31 am