sagarific 's review for:

Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India by Shashi Tharoor

3.0

informative

---

History belongs in the past; but understanding it is the duty of the present.

Growing up in India, my education included the colonial history of the subcontinent, but Shashi Tharoor still added to my knowledge (especially by citing British perspectives of the time) and emphasized the horrors of the empire. This book is mostly on economics -- inevitable given that the colonial project in India was extractive, an exploitation of resources and labor. However, he also discusses the development of railways, the education system, the parliamentary government, and the evolution of the caste systems and religious divisions under British rule. Here, I was surprised by the history of English education in India and the roles of examinations and rote memorization, means of "learning" that hold the utmost value in Indian pedagogy even today. I also appreciated the accounts of Englishmen "going Native" and the complicated relationships we have with the colonial remnants of cricket and tea-drinking.

I didn't love how the most criticism Tharoor dispenses about Gandhi is that he was “eccentric.” Sure, that isn't the point of this book, and certainly, Gandhi was a key figure in the movement for Indian independence. And Tharoor does admit that Gandhism is not as applicable to other struggles for freedom or independence across cultures and contexts. Yet, Gandhi is consistently hailed as a pinnacle of moral superiority here, and I would be remiss if I didn’t note that Tharoor’s absolute admiration made me cringe, with a retrospective understanding of Gandhi’s misogyny, racism, and downright abusive views and actions.

Inglorious Empire is heavy, detailing immense violence, and spanning vast geopolitics and periods. It's hardly perfect, but is as comprehensive as can be in about 300 pages. And I will note here that my knowledge of Tharoor's politics and track record as a politician is limited beyond views on the British Raj, though I am aware he is highly educated and has experience in public service and international affairs. But I would recommend this to everyone to understand just how the British Raj functioned and its lasting impacts.