The Imperial Controversy: Challenging the Empire Apologists

by Andrew Murray

Foreword by George Galloway MP. The imperialist urge, rooted in the dynamics of the world economy, continues to cast a long shadow. Andrew Murray subjects the leading pro-imperial historians, including Niall Ferguson, to a withering analysis. He presents an alternative reading of the record of the British Empire, and of other colonial powers, ... the better to develop an understanding as to why the last thing the great majority of the world wants to see is a repetition, however dressed up. The history of imperial intervention in the Middle East and the phenomenon of liberal interventionism in general, and Blair s premiership in particular, is located in a history of argument within the progressive movement concerning imperialism. The record and role of the pro-war left in relation to the Iraq war comes under scrutiny.

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Journalist, labour activist, and onetime Communications Officer for the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).

Reviews

[Barry Avis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Imperial Controversy highlights the fact that the British were….and still, are using unforgiveable methods to take over and supress other nations. From the time of the crusades where we the British decided that other cultures are not as worthy as ours and need to be eradicated. Through the Elizabethan slave trade and the Victorian forced rule of India and half of particularly non-white world including the middle east and our continued involvement in Ireland. We invented most of the atrocities implemented by Hitler (and recently Putin) and somehow, we the public, our governments and our ‘free’ press have forgotten this. When we now ‘intervene for the good of the free world’ we are simply giving a new name to the old imperial activities whilst berating any other ‘non-friendly’ nation who does similar.
This book unravels the thinly disguised political and media double-speak as the UK and the US ‘intervene’ in other nations to help bring about their own agenda of US world domination whilst generally destabilising it to a worse state than it was before we intervened as was seen in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The book was written during the occupation of Afghanistan by US and UK forces so was not able tto use that debacle as yet further evidence of the poor management by our governments in the name of improving the lot of the people of those nations (whilst killing most of them).
Unfortunately those who need to read this book will not but I recommend it to anyone who wonders why half of the world do not like “the west”. Hint…it is because we tortured, raped and killed there people for many many years.

[Sankari Ni Bhriain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was marvellous. Fair play to you Andrew Murray. "withering" is the perfect adjective for this sharp, realistic, blinkers-off look at the imperialists. The pro-war left are held up to the light here, examined intimately, and made to blush. Murray rights with the force of a man who sees the clear light of day and knows his analysis is sound. I'm glad I didn't judge it by it's very bland cover. Five stars.