Novara FM: How To Be Honest About Empire w/ Sathnam Sanghera
Feb 8, 2024
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Journalist and historian Sathnam Sanghera rejects the 'balance sheet' reading of history to discuss the contradictory legacies of the British Empire. Topics include exporting racism, ecological impacts such as national parks and quinine production, and the complex origins of environmental and animal charities. Disease's role in colonization, challenges of decolonization, and potential steps towards justice and repair are also explored.
The legacies of the British Empire are complex and contradictory, resulting in both positive impacts like the spread of democracy and negative consequences like instability and environmental destruction.
Acknowledging and discussing the contradictory legacies of the empire is essential, rather than attempting to reconcile them through a simplistic balance sheet view.
The influence of the British Empire can be observed in various aspects of modern society, including foreign policy, education, environmentalism, healthcare, and cultural practices, emphasizing the ongoing relevance and impact of the empire.
Deep dives
The Complex and Contradictory Legacies of the British Empire
Satnam Sanghara discusses the deep and wide-ranging legacies of the British Empire that are still present today. He emphasizes that the legacies are not simply complex but fundamentally contradictory. While the British Empire resulted in some democracies around the world, it also caused widespread instability and environmental destruction. The legacies of the empire are evident in various aspects of modern life, such as the spread of democracy, environmentalism, healthcare, and more. Sanghara challenges the oversimplified perspectives of both the left and the right on the empire, advocating for a nuanced understanding of its impact. He also highlights the ongoing relevance of the empire, as its influences continue to shape current global issues and conflicts.
Examining the Legacy of Empire: The Good and the Bad
Sanghara delves into the complexities and contradictions of the British Empire's impact. He challenges the notion of a simplistic balance sheet view, where positive and negative aspects of empire are weighed against each other. Instead, he argues that opposite things can be true simultaneously. For instance, the empire resulted in the spread of democracy in some places but also unleashed chaos and instability in others. Similar contradictions can be seen in the realm of environmentalism, where both destruction and the birth of the environmental movement trace back to the empire. Sanghara emphasizes the need to acknowledge and discuss these contradictory legacies rather than attempting to reconcile them.
The Continuing Influence of Empire in Society Today
Sanghara highlights how the legacies of the British Empire persist in various aspects of modern society. He cites examples such as the influence on foreign policy, education, environmentalism, healthcare, and cultural practices like tea consumption. The empire's impact is not limited to the past; it is an ongoing force that shapes global events and people's lives. Sanghara also discusses how the empire propagated racial ideologies and explains that white supremacy found a distinctly British flavor during that time. He argues that acknowledging and understanding the empire's role in shaping current dynamics is crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of history and its impact.
Evaluating the Complexities of Empire and Democracy
The podcast explores the complexities surrounding the relationship between the British Empire and democracy. While the empire played a role in establishing democracy in certain parts of the world, such as India and Nigeria, it also caused instability and upheaval in various regions. Sanghara challenges the simplistic narrative that the empire brought democracy to these places, emphasizing that it was often the result of local struggles for independence. He points out that democracy alone does not absolve the empire of its negative actions, nor does it negate the need to address the exploitative and oppressive aspects of colonization.
Unpacking the Notions of Decolonization and Reparation
Sanghara delves into the idea of decolonization and its limitations. While he acknowledges its importance in terms of restoring dignity and addressing historical injustices, he argues that some aspects of colonization are deeply entrenched and challenging to undo. For instance, he discusses the pervasiveness of British education systems and institutions worldwide, making complete decolonization a daunting task. Sanghara calls for an honest acknowledgment of the empire's impact, reparations for past wrongs, and a shift away from defensiveness when discussing empire-related issues. He acknowledges the complexity and challenges of these processes but underscores the significance of taking steps in the right direction.
Certain historians and politicians like to claim that the British Empire was “on balance” a good thing. Slavery was evil, they admit, but abolition was good. Racism was wrong, but free markets are desirable. In his new book Empireworld, journalist and historian Sathnam Sanghera rejects this “balance sheet” reading of history in order to wrestle […]
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