Empire, Incorporated: The Corporations That Built British Colonialism

In his book "Empire, Incorporated," Philip Stern challenges the conventional wisdom that the British Empire was solely driven by the Crown and argues that corporations played a central role in its expansion and administration. He argues that companies built and governed the global empire, raising questions about public and private power that were just as troubling four hundred years ago as they are today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

A groundbreaking work of history, "[A] landmark book...[a] bold reframing of the history of the British Empire." —Caroline Elkins, Foreign Affairs

In her award-winning book, an esteemed historian takes a novel approach by centering the focus on the corporation, rather than the Crown, as the driving force behind British colonialism. This insightful analysis challenges the conventional understanding of power dynamics, raising thought-provoking questions about public and private authority that were equally relevant four hundred years ago as they are today.

Spanning four centuries, from Ireland to India, the Americas to Africa, and Australia, British colonialism was, above all, a business venture. Corporations played a pivotal role in conceptualizing, promoting, financing, and governing the expansion of the empire, asserting claims over territories and peoples while ensuring that British and colonial societies were deeply invested in their endeavors. These colonial companies were not without controversy, often facing financial difficulties and a high risk of failure. However, their unique characteristics made them well-suited for overseas expansion. The corporation, like the empire itself, embodied a complex blend of public and private aspects, person and society, subordination and autonomy, centralization and dispersion, immortality and precariousness, national and cosmopolitan. It was a legal fiction with immense real power.

In contrast to traditional histories that portray corporations as mere supporting actors, Philip Stern argues that corporations took the lead in global expansion and administration. His book, Empire, Incorporated, vividly demonstrates this through a series of case studies, spanning from the sixteenth-century Ireland and North America to the Falklands in the early 1980s. Corporations were central players in these historical events, exerting significant influence and power. Moreover, the legacy of venture colonialism extends beyond the end of empire. Its ramifications continue to raise important questions about corporate power, which remain relevant in our contemporary world.

In conclusion, "[A] landmark book...[a] bold reframing of the history of the British Empire." —Caroline Elkins, Foreign Affairs. This thought-provoking work by an esteemed historian offers a fresh perspective on the history of the British Empire, challenging our understanding of power dynamics and raising important questions about public and private authority. Through its comprehensive analysis and compelling case studies, Empire, Incorporated sheds light on the enduring legacies of British colonialism and the ongoing significance of corporate power in shaping our world.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674988125