EMPIRE STRIKES BACK?: THE IMPACT OF IMPERIALISM ON BRITAIN FROM THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY

"The concept of empire and its influence seems to be everywhere today, debated widely both in the media and academe. How did the British people regard their empire? Was it seen as a source of strength or weakness? How far did the imperial experience define British nationhood? And why are imperial legacies still debated so vigorously?" "The Empire Strikes Back? is the first full length study of the influence of empire on British society, past and present. In this book, Thompson examines the impact of empire on Britain's political culture, social development and economic performance. He shows how the effects of overseas expansion on Britain were complex and even contradictory. There was not, and never could be, any single or monolithic response to imperialism. Rather, the empire markedly extended the boundaries of British domestic society, and its meaning was contested by different social groups." "The book concludes by examining the British people's relation to empire in recent times, engaging with many contemporary issues, such as the Falklands conflict, the repatriation of Hong Kong and the impact of immigration. A fascinating study for all those concerned with how the past shapes both the present and the future, this book is essential reading for students and scholars alike."--Jacket.