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It's easy to forget that the British won most of the battles during the American Revolution. The Americans certainly carried the day at Saratoga and Yorktown, but they were beaten again and again by their enemy elsewhere--and often badly. So it's especially odd that the Battle of Cowpens, fought in South Carolina on January 17, 1781, isn't better remembered in American imagination. As author Lawrence E. Babits shows, Cowpens was the Continental troops' greatest tactical moment--and it marked a crucial turning point in the war.
The fight itself was fairly brief, and the outcome lopsided--it was "a devil of a whipping," as American leader Daniel Morgan said at the time. Babits provides a richly detailed account of the battle, including an especially good overview of the weapons and tactics used by troops of the time. An archaeologist by training, Babits approaches Cowpens with the familiar meticulousness of his profession; this is an important piece of scholarship on the military history of the American Revolution. --John J. Miller
Book Description
The battle of Cowpens was a crucial turning point in the Revolutionary War in the South and stands as perhaps the finest American tactical demonstration of the entire war. On 17 January 1781, Daniel Morgan's force of Continental troops and militia routed British regulars and Loyalists under the command of Banastre Tarleton. The victory at Cowpens helped put the British army on the road to the Yorktown surrender and, ultimately, cleared the way for American independence.
Here, Lawrence Babits provides a brand-new interpretation of this pivotal South Carolina battle. Whereas previous accounts relied on often inaccurate histories and a small sampling of participant narratives, Babits uses veterans' sworn pension statements, long-forgotten published accounts, and a thorough knowledge of weaponry, tactics, and the art of moving men across the landscape. He identifies where individuals were on the battlefield, when they were there, and what they saw--creating an absorbing common soldier's version of the conflict. His minute-by-minute account of the fighting explains what happened and why and, in the process, refutes much of the mythology that has clouded our picture of the battle.
Babits put the events at Cowpens into a sequence that makes sense given the landscape, the drill manual, the time frame, and participants' accounts. He presents an accurate accounting of the numbers involved and the battle's length. Using veterans' statements and an analysis of wounds, he shows how actions by North Carolina militia and American cavalry affected the battle at critical times. And, by fitting together clues from a number of incomplete and disparate narratives, he answers questions the participants themselves could not, such as why South Carolina militiamen ran toward dragoons they feared and what caused the "mistaken order" on the Continental right flank.
Customer Reviews:
big shot brit vs. grampa hick.......2007-03-23
first off i would like to apoligise for my terrible writing any way its a very good book. i love history and despite the fact im a kid and should be thanking my luky stars for being born during vidoe game heaven,i a greatly disapinted i aint some farm boy in 1801.this book really opens up what it was like during the chilly january day.very exiting book,witch unless its the stocks cant be echeived easily.literly every footstep is taken acout of(well not every foot but it seems like it).it shows brity much every stinkin casualty on the american side but not the brits because so many of them died or was wounded.it shows who all the officers were.he shows the layout nicely.it shows each stage of the battle with too is done nicely. a very good acount of a pretty much unknown battle.witch is very disapionting because personelly i think that without the victory there would probobly be no yorktown do to the fact that cornwallis had now very limited calvery support.although small in size it was a very important battle.witch the author itepts to be make this be seen.overall its very good and recomend it to anyone who loves this all so importent war.
Devilishly Baffling.......2007-03-22
Lawrence Babits' tale of the Battle of Cowpens gives an extraordinarily detailed account of individual officers and soldiers by name, unit and wounds received. Perhaps my expectations were different, but I found this book a somewhat baffling recitation of minutia related to the Americans who participated in this battle. There are many maps which help clarify unit positions and movements. The best part of the book is the detailed explanation of company and regimatal units and why each unit responded the way it did.
It became exceedingly clear from the narrative that William Washington's (second cousin to George) cavalry turned the tide in favor of Daniel Morgan and the American rebels. Read this book if you are interested in the minute detail related to this battle. But if you are looking for a broader perspective of how Cowpens dovetails with the rest of the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas there are many, far better books to satisfy your goal.
Oh dear..........2006-06-26
The one battle where the Americans managed to win properly against an out-numbered British force of regulars. Tarleton was a fantastic soldier and cavalry officer but he certainly was not a General. Had Cornwallis or Clinton been there the battle would have been different. It's amazing how a book has been written on this ONE battle. Perhaps an American author might like to write seperate books on the The Battle of Savannah? Maybe Germantown? Or even *shock* Camden? All decisive British victories with massive American casualties.
It's interesting to note that Daniel Morgan told his troops that they must on no account cross bayonets with British redcoats at Cowpens. Only goes to prove the melee superiority of British soldiers over US soldiers.
Tarleton has his revenge not long after this battle though at Torrance's Tavern where he taunted his dragoons to remember Cowpens. 300 Continental Dragoons, Infantry and Militia were massacred in the ensuing Melee.
A clever fresh source for an old battle.......2006-03-16
Pension applications....who would have believed they could be plumbed to reconstruct the most important battle leading up to Yorktown? Morgan's battleplan is on par with Lee's at Chancellorsville of the following century as a daring and creative deployment of a hodgepodge of resources. It was brilliant, and this telling of the story is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the final and most decisive phase of the American Revolution. I cannot recommend it hughly enough!
Battle of Cowpens.......2005-09-10
Excellant History of one of the decisive, but perhaps lesser known battle of the Revolution
Book Description
Three major waves of anti-Jewish rioting swept Southern Russia and Russian Poland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In this book distinguished scholars of Russian Jewish history explore the origins and nature of these pogroms, which were among the most extensive outbreaks of anti-Semitic violence before the Holocaust. The contributors look at the role of violence in Russian society; the prejudices, stereotypes and psychology of both the educated society and rural masses; the work of the Tsarist regime, especially the police and army as agents of order and control; and the impact of the pogroms on the sense of Jewish identity and security in the Empire. In his conclusion, Hans Rogger reflects on the pogroms in Russia and then broadens the study by comparing these riots with both pogroms in Western and Central Europe and outbreaks of anti-black violence within the United States during the same period.
Customer Reviews:
A disappointing edition.......2006-02-27
Dr. Kramnick does a disappointing job editing the selections in this volume. I constantly found that they missed key points to the individual papers, which lend a great deal to their meaning. It is always difficult when compiling an abridged reader of this nature. What stays in? What goes out? I recommend skipping this reader, if possible, especially if you are interested in the Enlightenment. Stick with the source documents for the "whole story".
FACINATING pure AND simple.......2005-10-31
The Age of Enlightenment, the Rise of Science, the art, and literature of the eighteenth century has always been an interest of mine. So you can imagine how amazed and elated I was when I came across this gold.
It has all the big enlightenment writers such as Voltaire, Diderot, Leibniz, Paine, Addison, Pope, Montesqieu, Franklin and many more. It gives a great run down of the wit, the result of the evolution of thought, politics, society and reason as seen in the words of these great minds.
The only thing that I didn't like about this is that there is no Hobbes, which is only a minor quibble. I just thought that since there is Descates, who is not of the eighteenth century enlightenment (17th century and dryer than dust), but a major influence (like Hobbes was included, Hobbes, who was a major link from Descartes to Locke should be included and the provacative and ENLIGHTENING words from The Leviathan should grace the pages of this indispensible book and yet another superb volume from the Viking Portable Library.
An Enlightenment Buffet.......2003-07-07
The eighteenth century Enlightenment is one of the most interesting and exciting periods of intellectual history. The thinkers of that age had a sizable impact on concepts of science, nature, politics, religion and society. How do we become immersed in the wealth of writing of that period, however, without giving up job and family in order to read the works of the Enlightenment authors?
This reader is an excellent book for novices and experienced readers alike. It is an excellent 600+ page book filled with short, pithy excerpts from the key thinkers of the period. Actually the writings go back as far as 1620 with an excerpt from Francis Bacon where he puts down the Greek philosophers and introduces what is to become the scientific method. Beccaria comes up with novel thinking on crime and punishment. Does the death penalty deter crime? How about the punishment fitting the crime instead of being meted out at the whim of some aristocrat?
Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau and Paine weigh in with their political philosophy. The skeptics speak up with their religious criticisms. Manners, morals, art, war, and gender and race issues are all discussed by the likes of Mary Wollstonecraft, David Hume, Reynolds, Pope, and Bentham.
Bite sized as these entries are, they give the flavor of Enlightenment thought. And, importantly for the general reader, they are all mentally digestible. You don't have to read every paragraph six times in order to get a glimmer of the authors' meanings. The represented authors are not just from France either. The best thinkers from France, Italy, Germany, the United States and Great Britain are represented.
This book is terrific for research and enjoyment.......1999-06-08
This was the most helpful anthology when I needed to write a research paper on seventeenth century religion. It has sections for almost all aspects of life and contains various selections that truly show the Enlightenment spirit!
Book Description
By the end of the eighteenth century a distinctly modern vision of life was emerging. The revolutions in America and France revealed new beliefs about human nature; rights and duties; the natural and material worlds; and a new faith in science, technology and the idea of progress. As people began to change the way they thought about themselves and the world around them, a whole new way of thinking developed, which still has an overwhelming impact two centuries on.
The Enlightenment Reader brings together the work of major Enlightenment thinkers to illustrate the full importance and achievements of this period in history. Extracts are gathered thematically into sections on such aspects of the Enlightenment as political theory, religion and belief, art and nature. In each section, the texts are introduced and a final section on 'Critical Reflections' provides a selection of modern critical opinions on the period.
Containing illustrations from the work of artists such as Hogarth and Chardin,a chronology of the Enlightenment, and a detailed bibliography, The Enlightenment Reader is a rich source information and inspiration for all those studying this great period of change.
Customer Reviews:
Prepare to be Enlightened..........2004-02-08
While I might quibble a bit with the chronological boundaries set by the editors of this text, it nonetheless incorporates the majority of the Enlightenment period in the selection of writings. The Enlightenment is primarily the post-Renaissance philosophical period around the eighteenth century, where reason and individualism in the various intellectual disciplines surpassed tradition as primary factors. Key figures in the Enlightenment strand of philosophy include Newton, Locke, Leibniz, Voltaire, Hume, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Diderot, Pope, Gibbon, Adam Smith, Bentham and Kant. Various artistic, literary, philosophical, and political movements that began in the Enlightenment are still primary factors in the world today. For example, the economic and political frameworks of the American Revolution and the French Revolution came out of this movement. Scientific and mathematical principles established during this period still remain powerful methodological tools in current practice.
Editors Paul Hyland, Olga Gomez and Francesca Greensides each bring a background of liberal arts, history and cultural studies to bear the task of developing this superb collection of readings and essays on the Enlightenment. The texts themselves come from as original of sources as were available -- the editors did not try to 'clean up' the language or standardise too much, but did do editorial changes to reduce awkwardness in punctuation, capitalisation and such. Most of these selections come from authoritative eighteenth century editions or translations.
Each section of sources is tied to a particular subject or theme; each section is introduced by a brief essay discussing the importance of the subject or theme to the overall context of the Enlightenment. For example, the very first subject section is on Human Nature -- given the importance of the rise of individualism as a key concept regarding human nature for the Enlightenment mindset, this is a good place to start. Alexander Pope is quoted as an Enlightenment champion for saying 'the proper study of mankind is man', in other words, the movement was away from theological ideas concerned more with a distance and unchanging/immutable God and more toward the human condition.
There are thirteen sections of sources, which include the following topics: Human nature; the search for knowledge; religion and belief; the natural world; science and invention; political rights and responsibilities; civil society; moral principles; gender and society; art, architecture and nature; Europeans and the wider world; radicalism and revolution; and a few autobiographical pieces (Rousseau, Franklin, and Madame de Roland). Within each of these sections are a selection of sources from the major writers, artists and other figures of the period, sources that had the greatest impact -- for example, under the topic of political rights and responsibilities is included passages from Locke and Montesquieu, as well as sources from political leaders Catherine II and Frederick II. Each author is introduced with a brief biographical sketch and contextual information; occasionally the editors insert more material to put the source selection in proper perspective.
The second part of the book (actually only one-tenth of the page number of the book) is a reader of various essays from modern writers such as Jurgen Habermas, Peter Gay, Jean-Francois Lyotard and Michel Foucault on different aspects of the Enlightenment, looking at it both as a piece of history and as a continuing force to be dealt with in modern times. The third part is a brief chronology, highlighting key events, publications, artistic accomplishments, political situations and more. Primary sources for further study are highlighted in this chronological listing.
The further readings listings are extensive and well organised according to general works, primary and secondary sources, national contexts, works from particular writers, and finally the chapter topics. The index is extremely well done and useful, an important piece in a large academic text such as this.
No sourcebook on a period such as the Enlightenment can ever be complete. I have several shelves of books from writers from this period of history; of course this could not be incorporated in a single volume. However, what the editors have done is a splendid job of selecting the most interesting, most insightful, most influential pieces from this period, and set the stage for a broad understanding of the Enlightenment, as well as (hopefully) stimulus for further research.
Average customer rating:
- A Lot of Parallels
- Good survey.
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Go to Your God Like a Soldier: The British Soldier Fighting for Empire, 1837-1902
Ian Knight
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1853672378 |
Customer Reviews:
A Lot of Parallels.......2004-11-23
Though it has quite a few period photos and engravings I feel some more maps and equipment illustrations would have been better. The illustrations out of period maneuver manuals are nice but with nothing more than a caption very confusing if you are just dipping into the era. Some of the sections, such as uniforms, lack much any illustration though and end up just a mass of details.
The sections on campaigns is nice but where this book really shines is in the details of campaign life and what it took to maintain the Empire. And what it took out of the men doing it. The Appendixes are nice and you may want to read them first. The author has also included a further reading list by topics.
A lot of parallels to the conflicts and situations America has found itself in since WW2 can be found; uncertainty about the enemy, concepts of superiority, frontiers & trade partners, even how the British High Command in Sudan & Afghanistan had to deal with wounded fundamentalists who often attacked troops attempting to succor them.
While a nice, large, hardcover book I would recommend also getting a selection of the appropriate Osprey Men-at-Arms/Warrior/Elite/etc series books to go with it for the details not included.
Good survey........1997-07-23
Queen Victoria's soldiers fought for Queen and
Country all over the world, bringing the Pax
Victoriana to Afganis, Maoris, and Boers alike.
Badly treated and regarded as little more than
tramps by the public they served, they nevertheless
fought and died for their country against savage
opponents in some of the most inhospitable regions
on earth, to their lasting glory.
Their story is well told here, not only the campaign
histories but also the soldiers' life; recruitment,
food, pay, uniforms, weapons, and many other details to fill
in the picture of the Victorian soldier.
Generously illustrated, with maps, tactical
diagrams, campaign chronology, useful appendices,
reading list, and well-designed index, this is a
fine introduction to a most interesting era.
(The numerical rating above is a default setting
within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not
employ numerical ratings.)
Book Description
What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to be manly? How has our notion of masculinity changed over the years? In this book, noted historian George L. Mosse provides the first historical account of the masculine stereotype in modern Western culture, tracing the evolution of the idea of manliness to reveal how it came to embody physical beauty, courage, moral restraint, and a strong will. This stereotype, he finds, originated in the tumultuous changes of the eighteenth century, as Europe's dominant aristocrats grudgingly yielded to the rise of the professional, bureaucratic, and commercial middle classes. Mosse reveals how the new bourgeoisie, faced with a bewildering, rapidly industrialized world, latched onto the knightly ideal of chivalry. He also shows how the rise of universal conscription created a "soldierly man" as an ideal type. In bringing his examination up to the present, Mosse studies the key historical roles of the so-called "fairer sex" (women) and "unmanly men" (Jews and homosexuals) in defining and maintaining the male stereotype, and considers the possible erosion of that stereotype in our own time.
Average customer rating:
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Language, Print and Electoral Politics, 1790-1832: Newcastle-under-Lyme Broadsides (Parliamentary History Record Series)
Manufacturer: Boydell Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0851158102 |
Book Description
In the half century before 1790, there had been only one contested election in Newcastle, but between 1790 and 1832 there were a dozen. This new and heated political climate prompted the production of a vast array of printed propaganda and political commentary, aimed at voters and non-voters alike. Most of this material took the form of single printed sheets, or broadsides, produced in great numbers and distributed amongst the town's inhabitants for free. This volume reproduces just over three hundred Newcastle broadsides published during this time; they constitute an important and unique collection, for though such material was produced in many constituencies in Hanoverian England, rarely has it survived in such a complete form. Material comes from Keele University Library, the Sutherland papers at the Staffordshire Record Office, and Newcastle Museum. A representative selection of reproductions of original broadsides is included to give the reader an idea of how contemporaries would have seen the texts and an introduction explains their context.Dr HANNAH BARKER is Lecturer in History at the University of Manchester; Dr DAVID VINCENT is Professor of Social History at the University of Keele.
Customer Reviews:
A classic.......2004-10-27
The editorial synopsis listed for this book is on target. Fuller quickly and accurately summarizes the important developments of military theory and tactics from the limited wars of the European kings to the mass warfare of the Second World War, ending with the effect of nuclear holocaust on military strategy.
Yes, his analysis of the second world war draws heavily on his anti-communist views. But make the effort to strip away his political viewpoint from his analysis of the interaction of social systems and technology on the method of making war, and you won't be disappointed. Fuller was a perceptive soldier who understood his business better than most.
Tendentious,Hypocritical.But at times interesting.......2003-05-10
Author is a reputed Military Historian.But his views is faulty , reactionary.Fuller traces the conduct of war from the Middle ages till the end of Second World War.Stress is upon how character and conduct of war have changed within a span of 4 centuries.Advancement of science and socio-economic forces have combined to influence the character of war.
Author faults industrial revolution and democracy for ushering in mass warfare.This has made fighting horrendous causing untold death and destruction.Fuller has a nostalgia for the past ,says warfare in the age of kings and despots inherently limited in nature and scope.Then goes on to give fatuous analysis of human nature.Man according to him is essentially warlike ;it is impossible to smother his fighting instincts.He continues to live cordially ,amicably within his group but takes an hostile attitude toward other groups.Same conduct gets reflected in the intercourse among nations.Thus humanity is condemned to live perpetually in wardom and strife.Ifeel it is possible for nations with competing national interests to peacefully coexist.History of postwar Europe attests to this fact.European countries have been able over the years to sink their differences and forge an economic union for their greater welfare.
Fuller explores merits and demerits of Napoleonic system of warfare.Author's account of meathods employed by Napoleon of unravelling enemy's plans and his elucidation of Prussian military philospher Karl Von Clausewitz concepts - Centre of Gravity of war,inner front-I find trifle interesting.Commercial rivalry between Germany and Britain and scramble for colonies among European powere led to World War I.Author has touched upon salient features of the conflict.Fuller is dismayed by the outcome of the war especially disintegration of Austro-Hungarian Empire.Fuller faults US president Woodrow Wilson's call for national self-determination for oppressed nationalities responsible for the ensuing tragedy.Author wanted monarchists,militarists and other reactionary elements retaining power after termination of hostilities.Author misinterprets aims and objectives October Socialist revolution in Russia. Russia is shown to be perfidious country which betrayed Western Allies.This is a gross distortion of truth because facts show by 1916 the Russian armies had lost its cutting edge.Army was wracked with strife and desertion.Russia was not in position to help her allies even if it had wanted to.No other person other than British Special Commissioner R.H Bruce Lockhartwould vouch for this fact.So Lenin concluded an armistice with Germany.However Lenin was willing to continue the war provided Western allies had continued to furnish material support for the Bolsheviks which they refused.These were the circumstances which led to the signing of Brest Litovsk treaty of Mar 3,1918.Author condoned Marshal Pilsudski's poland invading Russia in 1920.But Russian counter-offensive to evict Polish invaders is interpreted as communist expansionism ;what a hypocrisy .Coming to World War II:Hitler invaded Poland and author says Stalin got the war he wanted.Author has either ignored or is ignorant of the fact that from 1934 onward Soviet Union tried consistently to forge joint front in Europe to forge a joint front to resist Nazi aggression.Western democracies did not co-operate which drove Soviets into the hands of Nazi Germany.Further author says the war ended in a tragedy for the West.Because end of the World War II saw Red Army on the banks of River Elbe.The reason Britain failed to pursue its traditional balance -of-power policy;instead,war was reduced to Manichean terms.Under this scheme Russia was to be used for containing German ambhitions.
But I doubt Tory establishment in London would have pursued such a course of action.They would have liked Germany and Russia fight and mutually exhaust themselves which would have helped the British to establish hegemony in postwar Europe.Churchill went to war because he doubted Hitler's ambhitions would remain confined to the east.Having borne brunt of the war author wants Russia denied the spoils of victory.This was to be done by curbing Western aid for Soviet war effort.Most reckless in British scheme of things was Churchill's attempts to sent Allied forces through Llblujana gap in Istrian peninsula towards central north eastern Europe .This force would come astride Red army formations moving towards Berlin. Such a course of events could have possibly triggered a Third World War.Concurrently every help was to be given to reactionary elements in Berlin to seize power while ousting Hitler.
Fuller justifies all this by quoting Clausewitz where war is form of political intercourse.Aim of war is is moderation not complete overthrow of enemy.This is a dangerous doctrine.Sometimes moderation pays.But decision to wage total war ,I believe, depends on nature and characer of enemy.Against vicious and a wicked foe moderation will never pay.Unconditonal surrender in Nazi Germany's case was justified.Because anything short of it would have helped the remaining Nazis to regain strengh and renew its assault upon humanity.
Thus one can see author is biased ,hypocritical in interpretation of facts which seriously detracts the value of this book.
Book Description
"It is the standard work on British Imperialism and may remain so for the foreseeable future"-R.D. Long, Choice (on the first edition)
- Brilliantly written and authoritative analysis, provocative and engaging.
- Acknowledged by reviewers as the definitive account of British Imperialism, this trade edition, combines and updates the two individual first edition volumes.
- Explores and defines "gentlemanly capitalism", a phrase coined here by Cain & Hopkins, and includes a new introduction and conclusion and has widened in scope to include globalization.
A milestone in the understanding of British history and imperialism, and truly global in its reach, this account received accolades from reviewers in its first edition. The first to coin the phrase "gentlemanly capitalism", Cain and Hopkins make the strong and provocative argument that it is impossible to understand the nature and evolution of British imperialism without taking account of the peculiarities of her economic development. In particular, the growth of the financial sector - and above all, the City of London - played a crucial role in shaping the course of British history and Britain's relations overseas. Now with a substantive new introduction and a conclusion, the scope of the original account has been widened to include an innovative discussion of globalization.
Peter Cain Sheffield Hallam University.
Tony Hopkins University of Cambridge.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent look at the theoretical construct of the British empire through historical analysis.......2007-10-12
This book serves as an overview of the historiography of the British Empire. It is not a history of the empire by any stretch and really looks at the motives for expansion and shows what other historians are debating on the subject. There is a distinct justification of Marxism throughout the book although they treat it relatively fairly and do point out when Marxist theory does not apply such as Africa. The book does expose the theory that a gentleman class of capitalists was in charge of British expansion and was well placed within the government and financial sectors to control expansion during this time period. Hughes and Cain try to show how this class rose to prominence and then fell with the rest of the empire in the post world war II era through the sterling zone. The majority of the book focuses on the years from 1688-1939. There is only really one chapter on the post 1939 world although what is said about it is very interesting.
Overall this is not a book that you want to start with if you are just learning about British Empire. I would recommend either Dennis Judd's book on Empire or the Oxford history five volume history of the British Empire. Once you have a good grasp on the history of the British Empire this is an excellent book to summarize that knowledge and understand the historical debates affecting the historiography of empire today. The authors are truly the top in their field when considering the theories of empire and this book is a landmark not only in the study of the British empire but empires as a whole.
Cain & Hopkins' epochal work on British imperialism.......2007-01-22
Great historians of British imperialism have tended to come in pairs for the last half-century (Robinson and Gallagher being the other pair), and this is the magnum opus for Cain and Hopkins. In many ways this book is an historiographical response to Robinson and Gallagher, and it is rich in themes adapted both from Robinson and Gallagher, as well as from earlier imperial commentators such as Marx, Hobson, and Lenin.
It argues, amongst other things, that the primary motivator of British overseas expansion were the "gentlemanly interests" emanating from the metropole. That is, interests in the financial and the service sector, non-working incomes that were the natural extension of the British aristocracy of yesteryear. Robinson and Gallagher's ideas may hold true in many cases, but this work is indispensable for demonstrating that perhaps underlying all the strategic interests were economic interests of the most powerful variety - aristocratic businessmen that held sway at Westminster. The connections between gentlemanly capitalists and government officials ran deep, they argue; everything from their common public school upbringing, to powerful amalgamations of finance and government.
This book also includes a detailed discussion of informal empire, yet it considerably modifies Robinson and Gallagher's thesis by ascribing both formal and informal imperialism to the interests of the City (that is, financial and service sector interests). In other words, both formal and informal empire found their impetus in the City's financial interests. This otherwise Hobsonian (J.A. Hobson, "Imperialism: A Study") thesis therefore modifies the economically-based theories of both Hobson himself, as well as Marxist historians, by emphasizing financial and service sector interests, rather than being preoccupied with industrial interests. Industrial interests, according to Cain and Hopkins, were not connected with London policy-makers, and were not sufficiently wealthy and integrated to have any considerable effect on official policy.
First published in 1993, and having been re-issued in one volume in 2001, this book has sparked fresh debate on British imperialism, as well as shed light on the issue of globalization in the twenty-first century.
Book Description
The phenomenon of caste has probably aroused more controversy than any other aspect of Indian life. This volume explores the emergence of ideas and practices that gave rise to the so-called "caste-society." Using a historical and anthropological approach, the author frames her analysis in the context of India's economic and social order, interpreting caste as a contingent and variable response to changes in India's political landscape through the colonial conquest. The book's wide-ranging analysis offers one of the most powerful statements ever written on caste in South Asia.
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