A History of the English-Speaking Peoples since 1900 [Hardcover]

 

 

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In writing `his' history of the English-speaking people's Andrew Roberts has done more harm than good to the cause of the Anglosphere. In covering the history of Britain and her offshoots since 1900, Andrew Roberts meant for his history to act as a continuum for Winston Churchill's four volume work of the same name (which covered the Anglosphere's history before 1900), but unlike Churchill's work, Andrew Robert's history is narrow minded, it's disrespectful towards almost every non-English speaking people in the world, it's based on a narrow selection of sources, it's too simplistic, it lacks intellectual integrity and it does not leave space for the severe shortcomings of the English speaking people's.

Andrew Roberts warns us in the opening stages of the book that his work is not meant to be a thorough history but rather a snapshot of key events in the Anglosphere's history taking at random. There is nothing wrong with such an approach in itself of course, but it's absolutely unjustifiable if the approach is used to focus on the achievements of the English-speaking people's history without mentioning their major mishaps. So whilst the success stories of British imperialism (e.g. the crusade against slavery, the moral campaign against the abolition of barbaric native practices, the sacrifice of the British Empire to defeat fascism etc) are covered in statistical detail, Andrew Roberts skims over the role of the British during the famines in India, the racial ideologies underlining British colonialism prominent at the time, the all apparent brutality of the British during the Boer war, the exploitation of native Africans etc. This in itself renders Andrew Roberts's work superficial, which makes it perfect for insensitive right wing ideologues and worthless for fair minded, educated people in the English speaking world who are looking for a balanced history of their political culture.

The book is well written however, it also contains some interesting illustration of Britain and America at the apex of their powers, and when the author's point of view is expressed, it contains some first class mobilisation of source material. This however is difficult succour to the above-mentioned shortcomings of the book as well as the rambling against the supposedly crooked left, which are found throughout the book.

The United Nations is lumped in with the `crooked left'. After presenting a damning analysis (admittedly deserved) of the UN's conduct during the preparations of the recent Iraq war, Andrew Roberts goes on to say that "their freedom of manoeuvre" (that of the English speaking people's), "and that of NATO could not be allowed to be circumscribed by the UN" (p614). With this statement the Author sought to defend the right of the Anglosphere to wage unilateral war if necessary as well as emphasise the unspoken alliance of the English speaking peoples rather than the UN as the hinge of world security. The Author is therefore blind to the fact that an International body which represents almost every nation on earth (e.g. the UN) carries more legitimacy that a grouping of related states that represent under one quarter of the world's population.

The Author condemns the unfair comparisons (and rightly so) made between Anglo-American crimes (e.g. the torture of Iraqi prisoners, the questionable practices in Guantanamo bay, bad practices during the Vietnam war, British abuses during the Boer war etc) and of those of the Soviets and Nazis (p627), but does not shrink from such ridiculous comparisons himself. To take just one example the Author repeatedly equates Imperial Germany with genocidal Nazi Germany. Wilhelmine Germany according to the author is a fascist society of a different variety, which is unilaterally responsible for the First World War in the same as Nazi Germany is responsible for the Second World War. (P635). Labelling a society fascist, in a period where that ideology has not even been invented yet is ludicrous, and a perfect case of false headed retrospective history, certainly not something to expect from someone who won the Wolfson History Prize. Quite apart from being a `fascist society' of a different variety Imperial Germany was a democratically advancing society: it had a parliament with universal male suffrage, active political parties, responsible public opinion and a political system where the rule of law was paramount. The first world war was more due to the dynamics of great power rivalry in an age were prestige was everything, than the perfidious notion of an aggressiveness that is ingrained into the German psyche. It has probably escaped Andrew Roberts that such irrational explanations are increasingly becoming obsolete.

The author also has the arrogance to dismiss Churchill's statement that the "collaboration of the English speaking peoples threatens no one", instead Andrew Roberts says that: " world-government uni-globers, Chinese hegemonists and European federalist have every right to fear what that collaboration might achieve in the future (636)." With this one statement Andrew Roberts outlines to us what makes `his' history of the English speaking peoples so much different to Churchill's work. Churchill locates the phenomenal achievements of the English speaking peoples firmly within the framework of the advance of universal civilisation, whilst Andrew Robert's work explains the advance of the English speaking peoples in opposition to the rest of the world. Indeed Andrew Roberts seems to equate world civilisation with the dominant world political culture of the English speaking peoples.

Nevertheless Andrew Robert's work does contain some great insights, such as those on the role of prestige in international politics: "The most costly wars in modern history have arisen whenever there is confusion about which is the world's pre-eminent power, anything that emphasises the true situation is good for the world's stability and security" (p637). Andrew Roberts also correctly outlines the nihilistic nature of Islamic terrorism (p627). This nihilism is perfectly expressed through a statement from one of terrorists involved in the attempted bombing of a railway track between Madrid and Seville: " We choose death while you choose life" (a mockery of the apparent Spanish attempt to placate Islamic terrorism in 2004 by announcing it's intentions to withdraw it's troops from the occupation of Iraq).

Some of the insights Andrew Robert's offers reminds one occasionally during the reading of the book that this could have been a great history. The reason why it wasn't a great history of course is because Andrew Roberts allowed his deep ingrained arrogance and prejudice to override his usual brilliance. The reason as to why Andrew Robert's work deserves such an extensive response is because it reduces the profound history of the English speaking peoples into a childish caricature. It seems that fair-minded, intelligent people in the Anglosphere will have to wait a little bit longer for a history that captures the essence (both good and bad) of their political culture and that can truly lay claim to act as a continuum to Churchill's great work (I very much recommend Churchill's work).

There are two types of review here, either praising or rubbishing this book. Well - whatever else it is this book is truthful, and for that it deserves 5 stars. Love it or hate it.
Having lived in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA (also Russia and Indonesia...and many more non English speaking) this book goes along way to explain those great countries and the freedoms they enjoy. Their history is a happy one - generally speaking, and this book resonates with that fact.

I came to this book seeking knowledge and understanding of the events that shaped the English-speaking world in the 20th century and I found it comprehensive and very readable.

However, the balance between verifiable fact and the author's opinions meant that, for me at least, it was less than satisfactory. Although I have none of the author's undoubted erudition, I was left with the enduring impression that he believes that the history of the English-Speaking Peoples belongs to the victors. It is not a view that I share.

Buy this book by all means but do not use it as your only source of reference.

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1.0 out of 5 stars bonkers 'history' for rabidly right wing nutters only
A disgraceful 'history' with an unsubtle might is right subtext which champions everything the british and americans have ever done while glossing over (or ignoring) any/all... Read more

Published 17 months ago by P. VALENTE

2.0 out of 5 stars Well written bigotry
A bigoted and jingoistic work. Pointless black and white distinctions made - English speakers, good/Non-English speakers bad. Read more

Published on 27 Jan 2009 by Alan Hynes

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples since 1900 is a wonderful book which praises the most sneered upon people in the world namely the English-Speaking People. Read more

Published on 2 Jan 2008 by HBH

1.0 out of 5 stars Codswallop...
...albeit well-written codswallop. The section dealing on Ireland is so incredibly one-sided that I could not credit Roberts's other arguments. Read more

Published on 1 Dec 2007 by Ian Wallis

1.0 out of 5 stars Three cheers for the red white and blue!!
A load of narcissistic and jingoistic rubbish.

This vitriolic and blinkered account of a spurious 'brotherhood' of Anglophones is nothing but a comfort blanket for... Read more

Published on 10 April 2007 by Marty Molloy

5.0 out of 5 stars A History of the English Speaking Peoples since 1900
At 75 years of age, after reading and listening to thousands of documentaries of WWII and the Cold War, I did not realize how much I did not know until I read this book. Read more

Published on 23 Mar 2007 by Gus Doering

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent account of the English Speaking Peoples!!
This is an excellent account of the English Speaking Peoples and their contribution to the worldwide stage over the last century. Read more

Published on 27 Feb 2007 by Jack Cook

4.0 out of 5 stars An antidote to mindless anti-Americanism
The occasional breeziness of the style can be irritating and the ending is rather disappointing, but I feel this is a book which is long-overdue. Read more

Published on 29 Jan 2007 by Tempus Fugit

1.0 out of 5 stars Seriously biased
You know it's going to be right-wing polemic when the first chapter defends British colonialism. The rest isn't much better. Read more

Published on 19 Jan 2007 by Alexis Rosoff Treeby

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!
I loved this book. In fact, I've been waiting for one like it for years. Why does every ethnic, linguistic, national and religious group but the English speaking peoples get to... Read more

Published on 26 Nov 2006 by D. W. Brown

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