Product Full Information

Product details of "Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire" by Caroline Elkins:

- Publisher: Bodley Head

- Language: English

- Hardcover: 896 pages

- ISBN-10: 184792106X

- ISBN-13: 978-1847921062

- Dimensions: 16.2 x 5.5 x 24 cm

**Description:**

"Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire" by Caroline Elkins is a groundbreaking and searing study of the British Empire that uncovers its pervasive use of violence throughout the 20th century.

The British Empire, which spanned a quarter of the world's landmass and claimed nearly seven hundred million people, was the largest empire in human history. While it was often seen as a symbol of cultural superiority, this book delves deep into the violent underpinnings of the empire's rule. Caroline Elkins spans more than two centuries of history to reveal an evolutionary and racialized doctrine that justified the relentless use of violence to secure and maintain British imperial interests.

The book traces the ideological foundations of this violence back to Victorian-era calls for punishing indigenous peoples who resisted subjugation. Over time, this approach became increasingly systematized and institutionalized. Elkins also highlights how, when the British Empire could no longer control the violence it had incited and enacted, it retreated from its imperial holdings, often destroying or hiding evidence of its policies and practices.

Drawing on over a decade of research across four continents, "Legacy of Violence" implicates all sides of the political divide in the creation, execution, and cover-up of imperial violence. It challenges long-standing myths and sheds new light on the empire's profound impact on the world, both historically and in shaping contemporary global dynamics. This book is a powerful exploration of the dark legacy of the British Empire and its role in shaping the modern world.