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Niall Ferguson

Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World Paperback – 1 Dec. 2004

by Niall Ferguson (Author)

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Once vast swathes of the globe were coloured imperial red and Britannia ruled not just the waves, but the prairies of America, the plains of Asia, the jungles of Africa and the deserts of Arabia. Just how did a small, rainy island in the North Atlantic achieve all this? And why did the empire on which the sun literally never set finally decline and fall? Niall Ferguson's acclaimed Empire brilliantly unfolds the imperial story in all its splendours and its miseries, showing how a gang of buccaneers and gold-diggers planted the seed of the biggest empire in all history - and set the world on the road to modernity.

'The most brilliant British historian of his generation ... Ferguson examines the roles of "pirates, planters, missionaries, mandarins, bankers and bankrupts" in the creation of history's largest empire ... he writes with splendid panache ... and a seemingly effortless, debonair wit' Andrew Roberts

'Dazzling ... wonderfully readable' New York Review of Books

'A remarkably readable précis of the whole British imperial story - triumphs, deceits, decencies, kindnesses, cruelties and all' Jan Morris

'Empire is a pleasure to read and brims with insights and intelligence' Sunday Times

Print length

448 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin
Publication date

1 Dec. 2004
Dimensions

19.56 x 12.7 x 2.79 cm
ISBN-10

9780141007540
ISBN-13

978-0141007540
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Review

Dazzling ... wonderfully readable (New York Review of Books)

A remarkably readable précis of the whole British imperial story - triumphs, deceits, decencies, kindnesses, cruelties and all (Jan Morris)

Thrilling ... an extraordinary story (Daily Mail)

Empire is a pleasure to read and brims with insights and intelligence (Sunday Times)

The most brilliant British historian of his generation ... Ferguson examines the roles of 'pirates, planters, missionaries, mandarins, bankers and bankrupts' in the creation of history's largest empire ... he writes with splendid panache ... and a seemingly effortless, debonair wit (Andrew Roberts)

About the Author

Niall Ferguson is one of Britain's most renowned historians. He is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, a Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing. He has written fourteen books, including The House of Rothschild, Empire, The War of the World, The Ascent of Money, The Great Degeneration and Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist. His many prizes include the Benjamin Franklin Prize for Public Service (2010), the Hayek Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2012) and the Ludwig Erhard Prize for Economic Journalism (2013).

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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0141007540
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; 1st edition (1 Dec. 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780141007540
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0141007540
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.56 x 12.7 x 2.79 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 242,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 3,205 in Political Science (Books)
- 6,431 in World History (Books)
- 7,415 in Great Britain History (Books)

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883 ratings

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About the author

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Niall Ferguson

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Niall Ferguson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, former Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University and current senior fellow at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, a visiting professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, and founder and managing director of advisory firm Greenmantle LLC. The author of 15 books, Ferguson is writing a life of Henry Kissinger, the first volume of which—Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist—was published in 2015 to critical acclaim. The World's Banker: The History of the House of Rothschild won the Wadsworth Prize for Business History. Other titles include Civilization: The West and the Rest, The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die and High Financier: The Lives and Time of Siegmund Warburg. Ferguson's six-part PBS television series, "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World," based on his best-seller, won an International Emmy for best documentary in 2009. Civilization was also made into a documentary series. Ferguson is a recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Service as well as other honors. His most recent book is The Square and the Tower: Networks on Power from the Freemasons to Facebook (2018).

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Neil Carmichael

The straight facts

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 September 2018

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The politically correct view is that there is nothing good to say about colonialism and empire. If that is what you want, Jeremy Paxman is your man. If a more balanced approach appeals, read Ferguson. He has been criticised for being an empire nostalgist; but that is a simplistic analysis. He lays bare the horrors of the slave trade and the excesses committed by Imperial troops when called upon to punish rebels or avenge e.g. the Indian mutiny. On the other hand he points out the advantages that many ex colonies have been left with in terms of Institutions and the rule of law. In the later chapters he also contrasts the efforts of the empire in the 20th century to oppose much more oppressive empires such as the 3rd Reich and Imperial Japan. Without the Empire, Ferguson contends Britain could not have stood against Germany in two world wars. Also that the cost of doing that lead to the collapse of the Empire.
Overall, a well balanced book well supplied with illuminating statistics which show in particular how the Empire was principally a commercial enterprise and one which started with a little bit of theft and then the thieves bought a little property to settle down and go into legitimate business. A familiar story.

127 people found this helpful

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Margot and Kieran Power

Terrible

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2018

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The tone is condescending and superior. He writes more like a shoddy journalist who writes for the Mail or Express than a historian.

75 people found this helpful

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History brought to life

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2018

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Although quite scholarly, this magisterial account of the British Empire is very readable as well as informative. The author presents a balanced account of both the highs and lows involved in governing three quarters of the Earth's land surface and millions of lives. Usefully, he also compares the British Empire with its rivals: while by no means overlooking its faults, he overall finds in its favour. In other words, no-one proposes running empires today, but when doing so was simply what prominent European powers did, Britain emerged with credit relative to the other colonial powers. And without ignoring the significant problems that did occur (notably in India), the same cautiously positive note can be sounded for the relative orderliness with which the British Empire was dismantled compared to what happened with others.

Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in how the modern world came to be (as per the book's subtitle).

49 people found this helpful

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Whatever you think of empire, this is a amazing story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2019

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Ferguson sets out to explain how Britain ended up governing a quarter of the worlds population. Turns out Britain was a late starter in the empire game and followed the likes of France and Portugal. Infact, at first the Brits simply robbed others, like the Spaniards, as they couldnt find their own supplies of silver/gold. Soon however the British moved onto their own kind of white gold; sugar.
Ferguson touches on the settling of America and destroys some myths while providing enlightening information. For e.g that around 1 in 5 of the white population remained loyal to the Crown during the war of Independence.
He spends considerable time on India & Africa, explaining the differences in the Brits approach. Interestingly, initially the British didn't intend or try to spread Christianity in India. Bad for business. However, as soon as missionaries were allowed they raced there with some quite predictable results.
Ferguson really does try to give a balance view. He mentions the Boer war and the infamous concentration camps but explains that the intent of such camps were not actually meant to be sinister and that following outcries attempts were made to improve conditions in them. Slavery too is discussed the brutality and sheer scale of which is shocking. But credit is later given for the British fight against slavery when other nations had not yet come to their senses.
I got slightly lost when economics was discussed but i understood the point he was making. Its a fact, one that is hard for today to face, that empire itself was not in itself a bad thing and that some empires can be said to have better track records than others.

23 people found this helpful

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Rob Bonner

Fabulous Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2019

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The most informative section for me was in the chapter entitled 'Empire for Sale'. The author beautifully outline the position of the USA before, during and after WW2. This provides a clear background to the attitude of USA to Great Britain during this period and arguably continues to today. The manner in which the USA uses its money to gain influence and bank rolls those regimes that it deems strategically worthwhile. While apparently distrusting the whole idea of an empire and forging 'Trusteeship' the USA has developed their own empire by occupying such islands as Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam. It is clear that the Americans will take decisions which benefit them most.

I may have missed it, but the author makes no mention of the 'Special Relationship' between Great Britain and the USA. Instead, there is a clear picture of America putting itself first by using its economic might; which as we know continues to be its position now in 2019.

25 people found this helpful

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