Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India

Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India by Shashi Tharoor is a powerful and incisive examination of the impact of British colonialism on India. Spanning the arrival of the East India Company in the early 18th century to the end of the British Raj in 1947, Tharoor meticulously details how Britain's wealth and rise to global prominence were built on the systematic exploitation and plunder of the Indian subcontinent. This eye-opening narrative is a compelling reassessment of colonial history that debunks the myth of benevolent imperialism.

In the eighteenth century, India's share of the global economy was comparable to that of Europe. However, by the time India gained independence in 1947, this share had decreased six-fold after two centuries of British rule. The book lays bare the brutal realities of British imperialism: beyond the conquests and deceptions, the British Empire implemented harsh and inhumane policies. Rebels were blown from cannons, unarmed protesters were massacred, institutionalised racism was entrenched, and millions died from induced famines.

The British justified their rule as enlightened despotism, claiming it was for the benefit of the governed. However, Tharoor dismantles this argument, demonstrating that every so-called imperial 'gift'—from the railways to the rule of law—was crafted to serve British interests alone. The book further discusses how Britain's Industrial Revolution was financed by India's deindustrialisation, highlighting the deliberate destruction of India's once-thriving textile industry.

Inglorious Empire doesn't just recount historical events; it challenges readers to rethink their understanding of colonial history. Tharoor's writing is both ferocious and astonishing, essential for a Britain lost in sepia-toned fantasies about its colonial past. The book is witty and fast-paced, provoking thought and discussion with its what-ifs and what-might-have-beens. Tharoor's digressions, often more enthralling than the main topic, raise significant questions about his identity and the country that shaped him.

Praise for Inglorious Empire includes:

"Ferocious and astonishing. Essential for a Britain lost in sepia fantasies about its past, Inglorious Empire is history at its clearest and cutting best." – Ben Judah, author of This Is London

"I had read only a few pages of Inglorious Empire before I thought, 'What a wonderful book this would be to teach from.' It's witty and fast-paced, the what-ifs and what-might-have-beens set up to provoke discussion. And the author's digressions, sometimes more enthralling than the topic under discussion, raise important questions about who he is and the country that has made him." – Robin Jeffrey, Inside Story

"Inglorious Empire is a bracing, polemical work." – Christopher de Bellaigue, The New York Review of Books

Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the true impact of British rule on India, and it offers a much-needed corrective to the glorified narratives of colonialism. This bold work by Shashi Tharoor is an essential contribution to modern historical discourse.