Law, Disorder and the Colonial State: Corruption in Burma c.1900

by Jonathan Saha

In this original study British rule in Burma is examined through quotidian acts of corruption. Saha outlines a novel way to study the colonial state as it was experienced in everyday life, revealing a complex world of state practices where legality and illegality were the informal world upon which formal colonial power rested.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Michael W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I published a review on this book four years ago in the American Historical Review, so will only post the conclusion of that review here: "This is an important, well-written, erudite, and novel approach to colonial Burmese history and the book achieves what it sets out to do. It is also timely, both for Burmese studies, which is enjoying a boost from recent political changes in the country, and for colonial studies, where law has tended to be viewed as a defining force for illegality, not a tool for corruption."