The Rise and Fall of the British Empire by Lawrence James

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire by Lawrence James

Great Britain's geopolitical role in the global scheme of things has undergone many radical changes over the last four centuries. Once a maritime superpower and ruler of half the world, Britain's current position as an isolated, economically fragile island squabbling with its European neighbours often seems difficult to accept, it not comprehend. Although still afforded nominal status through membership of groups such as G7 and the retention of a permanent seat on the UN Security Coucil, the simple truth is that Britian has been resting on her laurels since 1945, if not before. This book covers the history of the British expansion overseas from the 16th century to the 20th century. Narrative and analysis are interwoven with revealing eyewitness quotation to provide keen insight into the minds of those involved in conquering, settling and ruling the greatest empire the world has ever seen. Throughout, there are consistent themes: the search for profit and the moral misgivings it generated; domestic developments which made imperial expansion desirable; and the sense of national and personal identity felt by the empire-builders.

Lawrence James was born in Bath and was educated at the University of York and Merton College, Oxford. After a distinguished teaching career he has emerged as one of the outstanding narrative historians of his generation.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780316905060
ISBN 10	0316905062
Title	The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Author	Lawrence James
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Little, Brown & Company
Year published	1994-09-29
Number of pages	704
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.