THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER In the eighteenth century India's share of the world economy was as large as Europe's By 1947 after two centuries of British rule it had decreased six-fold Beyond conquest & deception the Empire blew rebels from cannon massacred unarmed protesters entrenched institutionalised racism & caused millions to die from starvation British imperialism justified itself as enlightened despotism for the benefit of the governed but Shashi Tharoor takes on & demolishes this position demonstrating how every supposed imperial 'gift' from the railways to the rule of law was designed in Britain's interests alone He goes on to show how Britain's Industrial Revolution was founded on India s deindustrialisation & the destruction of its textile industry In this bold & incisive reassessment of colonialism Tharoor exposes to devastating effect the inglorious reality of Britain's stained Indian legacy