Just Finished Reading: Empire – A Very Short Introduction by Stephen Howe (FP: 2002)

Not unlike the poor, Empires have always been with us. Indeed, as the author points out in this fascinating short book, it could be argued that the history of Empire is the history of humanity. Even before the iconic Roman Empire reached the height of its powers other Empires emerged, expanded and died across the globe from the Middle East, China and South America. Some lasted only as long as their Emperor (and sometimes the rarer Empress) lived. Others lasted generations whilst the self-styled inheritor of Rome – the Holy Roman Empire – lasted 1000 years. Some Empires where comparatively tiny whilst others, such as the British Empire spanned the globe over a landmass where the sun literally never set. Empires had a power base on land and expanded outwards from the edges. Empires also had their power based at sea and produced colonies or protectorates wherever conditions allowed access to the interior from coastal acquisitions. Empires grew organically or by deliberate conquest. It is only in the present lifetime of a single generation that we live in a world without an Empire somewhere. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolving of the British Empire with the loss of Hong Kong we are living in unique times. But, as the news coming out of Hong Kong attests, we are still experiencing the echoes of Empires and will continue to do so for many years (or indeed generations) to come.

Empires shaped the world, moved millions of people across the globe – some voluntary, some not – literally moved mountains, changed environments, changed languages, made species (and civilisations) extinct, instituted global trade, made war, enforced people, enabled slavery, fought to stop slavery, expanded religions, transplanted religions, spread disease, plants and animals across the world both by design and by accident, and much else besides. Empires may be vilified by some and (cautiously) praised by others but they certainly cannot be ignored if any understanding of global history is to be achieved. The history of Empires, taught as dispassionately as possible considering the understandable controversy around so much of its activities, allows us to understand the histories of entire cultures as well as ‘hot button’ topics such as colonialism (in all its aspects), race, development, power, cultural imperialism (and cultural appropriation) and other areas so exercising the world today. This book is an excellent entry point into that whole (rather messy but very interesting) area for discussion and doesn’t shy away from areas hotly debated by the various groups – historians, indigenous peoples, politicians – which we still see almost every days on news sites and papers. The echo of Empire still exists around the world – softly in some places but almost deafening in others. It is difficult to understand the world without any reference to it. Reading this recommended book would be a good first step for anyone unfamiliar with, or simply misinformed about, an idea that shaped the world since before the historical record began.     

3 more books in this Empire 'book blitz' to come.....