Empire and SuperempireEmpire and Superempire
Britain, America and the World
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Book, 2006
Current format, Book, 2006, , No Longer Available.Book, 2006
Current format, Book, 2006, , No Longer Available. Offered in 0 more formatsA timely and provocative comparison of the British and American empires: are they alike, or are they very different beasts?
The present American “empire” is often compared with the British one of yore—not surprising in view of the fact that Afghanistan and Iraq were once British imperial stamping grounds, too. But how alike are the two empires really? What are the connections between them? And what can we learn from the comparison?
In this compellingly written book, a leading historian of the British empire explores these questions in depth for the first time. Bernard Porter finds that Britain and America had uncannily similar imperial histories before the present day, but that now considerable differences exist. He argues that post-2001 American imperialism is an imperialism of a different sort--a “super-imperialism” that no longer repeats British imperialism but now transcends it.
Porter’s comparison illuminates British imperialism, including Tony Blair’s; the American version of imperialism administered under George W. Bush; and the relation of imperialism to such phenomena as capitalism, globalization, free trade, and international security. His insights are often surprising and always original and thought-provoking.
Recently, more Americans commentators have begun to recognize the existence of an American Empire, but most remain insistent that it differs qualitatively from earlier empires in its benevolence and in other crucial respects. Porter (history, U. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK), a longtime historian of British imperialism, compares the American and British experiences and comes to significantly different conclusions. He argues that prior to the September 11th attacks, British and American imperialism shared many similar attributes, but that the post-9/11 era has witnessed the emergence of American "superempire," far greater (or far more hubristic) than its British counterpart. One of the greatest differences he identifies is the ideological nature of the American empire, including the belief, if not the reality, in American "exceptionalism." Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A timely and provocative comparison of the British and American empires: are they alike, or are they very different beasts?
The present American &;empire&; is often compared with the British one of yore&;not surprising in view of the fact that Afghanistan and Iraq were once British imperial stamping grounds, too. But how alike are the two empires really? What are the connections between them? And what can we learn from the comparison?
In this compellingly written book, a leading historian of the British empire explores these questions in depth for the first time. Bernard Porter finds that Britain and America had uncannily similar imperial histories before the present day, but that now considerable differences exist. He argues that post-2001 American imperialism is an imperialism of a different sort--a &;super-imperialism&; that no longer repeats British imperialism but now transcends it.
Porter&;s comparison illuminates British imperialism, including Tony Blair&;s; the American version of imperialism administered under George W. Bush; and the relation of imperialism to such phenomena as capitalism, globalization, free trade, and international security. His insights are often surprising and always original and thought-provoking.
The present American “empire” is often compared with the British one of yore—not surprising in view of the fact that Afghanistan and Iraq were once British imperial stamping grounds, too. But how alike are the two empires really? What are the connections between them? And what can we learn from the comparison?
In this compellingly written book, a leading historian of the British empire explores these questions in depth for the first time. Bernard Porter finds that Britain and America had uncannily similar imperial histories before the present day, but that now considerable differences exist. He argues that post-2001 American imperialism is an imperialism of a different sort--a “super-imperialism” that no longer repeats British imperialism but now transcends it.
Porter’s comparison illuminates British imperialism, including Tony Blair’s; the American version of imperialism administered under George W. Bush; and the relation of imperialism to such phenomena as capitalism, globalization, free trade, and international security. His insights are often surprising and always original and thought-provoking.
Recently, more Americans commentators have begun to recognize the existence of an American Empire, but most remain insistent that it differs qualitatively from earlier empires in its benevolence and in other crucial respects. Porter (history, U. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK), a longtime historian of British imperialism, compares the American and British experiences and comes to significantly different conclusions. He argues that prior to the September 11th attacks, British and American imperialism shared many similar attributes, but that the post-9/11 era has witnessed the emergence of American "superempire," far greater (or far more hubristic) than its British counterpart. One of the greatest differences he identifies is the ideological nature of the American empire, including the belief, if not the reality, in American "exceptionalism." Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A timely and provocative comparison of the British and American empires: are they alike, or are they very different beasts?
The present American &;empire&; is often compared with the British one of yore&;not surprising in view of the fact that Afghanistan and Iraq were once British imperial stamping grounds, too. But how alike are the two empires really? What are the connections between them? And what can we learn from the comparison?
In this compellingly written book, a leading historian of the British empire explores these questions in depth for the first time. Bernard Porter finds that Britain and America had uncannily similar imperial histories before the present day, but that now considerable differences exist. He argues that post-2001 American imperialism is an imperialism of a different sort--a &;super-imperialism&; that no longer repeats British imperialism but now transcends it.
Porter&;s comparison illuminates British imperialism, including Tony Blair&;s; the American version of imperialism administered under George W. Bush; and the relation of imperialism to such phenomena as capitalism, globalization, free trade, and international security. His insights are often surprising and always original and thought-provoking.
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