Empire Considered
Abstract
This article reassesses the British Empire, highlighting its cultural, linguistic, and political impact, and its role in shaping modern globalization. It explores both formal and informal imperial influence, appraise the transition of global power to the U.S., and challenges simplified or one-sided critiques of empire. Emphasizing cooperation alongside coercion, it argues that empire was complex, multifaceted, and not uniquely Western. Post-colonial instability and authoritarianism are examined as legacies, urging a more contextual understanding of imperialism and its place in global history.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jeremy Black
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