Like all abstractions, empire is best understood when considered in terms of individuals, their motivation and experience. The current cult of attacking the British empire, a new iteration of the Communistic Cold War critique, pushes particularly hard on Britain in the late 18th century, not least as on top of Britain’s “tyranny” as the opponent of American “destiny”, comes the villainy of being the world’s leading slave trader.
If, in contrast, your historical interest and commitment extends to more than name-calling and statue destruction, there are some fine books to consider to provide the necessary perspectives of context, contingency and character. Last year brought us Andrew Roberts’s very well-observed biography of George III, a major work of scholarship and insight, and this year follows with a study of one of his leading generals.
