The Making and Unmaking of Empires

The losses of the British Empire in North America and the creation of a new territorial empire in eastern India are conventionally seen as unconnected seen as unconnected events in world history. Marshall argues that these developments were part of a single phase of Brittain’s imperial history, rather than marking the closing of a ‘first’ Atlantic empire and the rise of a ‘second’ eastern one. This book brings together findings of the rich historical writing on both post-Mughal Indian and late colonial America to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Empire in different parts of the world. The author analyses the forces of expansion in British society and links them with Britain’s imperial policies. He examines in great depth the debate about British imperial objectives and the making and unmaking of the Empire in India and North America. The author points out that in India, despite failures in Madras and Bombay, the British achieved a modus vivendi with seemingly alien groups which enabled them to build a secure based for future subjugation of the subcontinent. In North America, however, potential allies who were closely linked to Britain in beliefs, culture, and economic interest were ultimately alienated by Britain’s political pretensions. This book will be a valuable resource for students, scholars, and teachers of British, American, and Indian history and those interested in the growth of the British Empire.