Making the British Empire, 1660-1800 - Paperback

by Jason Peacey (Editor)

This collection offers a timely reappraisal of the origins and nature of the first British empire, in response to the 'cultural turn' in historical scholarship and the 'new imperial history'. It addresses topics that have been neglected in recent literature, providing a series of political and institutional perspective; at the same time it recognises the importance of developments across the empire, not least in terms of how they affected imperial 'policy' and its implementation. It analyses a range of contemporary debates and ideas - political and intellectual as well as religious and administrative - relating to political economy, legal geography and sovereignty, as well as the messy realities of the imperial project, including the costs and losses of empire, collectively and individually.

Back Jacket

This volume reappraises the origins and nature of the first British empire. Taking into account current debates about how best to address the topic, methodologically and thematically, it offers new perspectives and approaches from some of the most important scholars in the field.

The aim is not to return to older modes of scholarship, but to learn from the 'new imperial history' while reintegrating political and institutional perspectives. Contributors explore contemporary debates, both within the metropole and across the empire, and how these affected imperial 'policy' and its implementation, not least in the face of profound challenges on the ground. These debates ranged widely and were political and intellectual as well as religious and administrative. They related to ideas about political economy, legal geography and sovereignty, as well as about the messy realities of the imperial project, including the costs and losses of empire, collectively and individually.

Featuring contributions from a remarkable selection of scholars, including Sir John Elliott, Julian Hoppit, Steve Pincus, Jennifer Pitts and Philip J. Stern, Making the British empire will be of interest to historians and political scientists working in a range of areas. Its novel approaches and provocative arguments will help to shape the field on this most important of topics.

Author Biography

Jason Peacey is Professor of Early Modern British History at University College London