In The Economic History of Colonialism, Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy offer a new historical account of the relationship between economic development and colonialism, showing how diverse processes of colonisation impacted on patterns of economic growth. Seeking to understand the roots of growth as well as poverty and inequality in formerly colonised nations as well as the origins of the environmental challenges we are facing in the current century, this book offers a nuanced study of the economic history of colonialism and its lasting legacies, finds Ritwika Patgiri. The Economic History of Colonialism. Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy. Policy Press. 2021

Patgiri, Ritwika

English

LSE Research Online

Book	Review:	The	Economic	History	of	Colonialismby	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	RoyIn	The	Economic	History	of	Colonialism,	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy	offer	a	new	historical	account	ofthe	relationship	between	economic	development	and	colonialism,	showing	how	diverse	processes	of	colonisationimpacted	on	patterns	of	economic	growth.	Seeking	to	understand	the	roots	of	growth	as	well	as	poverty	andinequality	in	formerly	colonised	nations	as	well	as	the	origins	of	the	environmental	challenges	we	are	facing	in	thecurrent	century,	this	book	offers	a	nuanced	study	of	the	economic	history	of	colonialism	and	its	lasting	legacies,finds	Ritwika	Patgiri.The	Economic	History	of	Colonialism.	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy.	Policy	Press.	2021.Understanding	the	Economic	Legacy	of	Colonialism	from	a	Diversity	PerspectiveFind	this	book	(affiliate	link):	Economic	inequality	is	a	reality	of	the	world	that	we	live	in	today.	Many	economichistorians	tend	to	agree	that	the	root	of	most	of	this	economic	inequality	is	a	path-dependent	outcome	of	many	historical	processes,	European	colonialism	being	one	ofthe	most	important	ones.	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy’s	The	Economic	Historyof	Colonialism	is	a	reminder	of	the	economic	impact	of	this	colonial	legacy.	However,by	taking	into	consideration	how	the	process	of	colonisation	was	diverse,	they	showthat	it	was	this	diversity	rather	than	the	shared	colonial	legacy	that	shaped	patterns	ofgrowth.	The	book	contains	ten	essays	or	chapters	on	various	aspects	of	theeconomic	history	of	colonialism,	starting	from	understanding	the	link	betweencolonialism	and	the	emergence	of	large	gaps	in	terms	of	per	capita	incomes	betweencountries.Two	transformations	shaped	the	world	–	as	Europeans	conquered	84	per	cent	of	theglobe	between	1492	and	1960,	trade	and	industrialisation	benefitted	some	regionswith	sustained	growth	while	others	were	not	at	the	receiving	end	of	this	(1).	The	bookexplores	the	complexity	of	the	colonial	process	in	different	regions,	leading	to	different	experiences,	and	suggeststhat	there	is	no	linear	narrative	of	colonial	rule	and	economic	change.The	diversity	of	the	experiences	of	various	colonies	raises	the	important	question	of	whether	there	can	be	a	generalaccount	or	theory	of	colonialism.	The	authors	find	that	there	is	a	general	theory	of	the	origins	of	colonialism	which	isa	combination	of	European	expansion	and	the	local	conditions	of	the	regions	that	were	colonised.	The	bookexplores	four	distinct	pathways	of	the	origins	of	colonialism	that	have	emerged	as	a	result	of	this	combination	–	thepolitical	or	the	militaristic	route	(this	route	involved	invasion	or	imposition	without	definite	economic	gain	in	sight,	likein	the	case	of	Algeria	in	the	early	nineteenth	century);	the	commercial	path	(which	can	also	be	called	the	maritimeroute,	in	which	merchants	had	more	agency	and	involved	trading	partnerships	with	local	merchants	and	tradersrather	than	outright	conquest,	like	in	India	from	the	late	eighteenth	century);	the	inland	settler	pattern	(settler-ledcolonisation	or	governments	with	the	intention	of	resettlement	like	the	Portuguese	traders	and	missionaries	settlingin	seventeenth-century	southern	Africa);	and	the	island	settler	pattern	(plantation	societies	emerging	not	as	a	resultof	a	grand	plan,	like	in	the	Atlantic	and	Pacific	Oceans).LSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP) Blog: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-08-01Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/08/01/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/The	book	also	tries	to	understand	the	interconnectedness	of	globalisation	and	colonialism.	The	authors	reject	theclaim	that	globalisation	was	a	one-sided	exchange	between	the	colonies	and	the	colonial	power.	The	book	alsopays	attention	to	the	dynamics	of	growth	and	development	in	the	colonies	during	the	colonisation	and	subsequentdecolonisation	periods.	The	book	further	iterates	that	colonial	states	did	not	merely	exploit	or	benefit	from	the	localpopulation.	It	is	suggested	that	the	interests	of	colonial	governments	might	not	necessarily	be	antithetical	toeconomic	growth	in	their	colonies:	‘Colonialism	offered	little	in	the	way	of	political	or	civil	rights	to	most	indigenousinhabitants	of	the	colonies,	although	there	were	opportunities	of	social	mobility	which	may	have	given	someindividuals	greater	political	voice	than	they	had	under	pre-colonial	systems,	which	were	in	many	cases	neitherdemocratic	nor	egalitarian’	(69).	Even	minimal	colonial	interventions	in	education	and	healthcare	played	a	role	inimproving	the	standards	of	living	for	at	least	some	sections	of	the	people	living	in	some	of	the	colonies.But	this	did	not	mean	colonialism	aimed	for	the	development	of	all	sectors	or	all	sections	of	society.	In	fact,	most	ofthe	time,	the	consequences	of	a	colonial	policy	were	either	unintended	or	surpassed	their	intention.	The	case	ofrailways	can	be	understood	in	this	context.	Irrespective	of	the	intent,	the	construction	of	railways	led	to	a	reductionin	transport	costs,	hence	opening	up	new	possibilities	for	the	production	of	exports	in	regions	that	were	notpreviously	connected	to	ports.	Railways	also	contributed	to	internal	market	integration	in	larger	colonies	like	India.However,	the	railways,	along	with	the	new	technologies	in	transportation	and	farming,	also	led	to	rising	unequalaccess	to	markets	and	increased	the	vulnerabilities	of	colonial	economies.	With	better	transportation	and	farmingtechnologies,	colonies	saw	opportunities	to	increase	the	incomes	of	both	producers	of	exports	and	suppliers	of	foodand	labour	services	to	exporters.	But	this	growth	through	trade	made	these	colonies	more	susceptible	to	economicreversal	when	prices	fell.	For	example,	when	cocoa	prices	declined	in	the	1930s,	poorer	farmers	were	forced	to	selltheir	trees,	accelerating	inequality	in	Caribbean	island	colonies	(68).	Colonial	governments	were	also	uninterestedin	encouraging	development	in	the	manufacturing	sector	in	the	colonies.If	the	economic	benefits	and	costs	of	colonialism	were	mixed,	why	did	these	colonies	exist?	Was	it	just	for	the	solepurpose	of	serving	power	and	prestige?	Did	the	possession	of	colonies	repay	the	cost	of	maintaining	them?	It	isalso	noteworthy	that	apart	from	the	economic	costs	and	benefits,	colonialism	has	also	led	to	social	andpsychological	effects,	or	the	‘imperial	experience’	as	termed	by	A.G.	Hopkins	(1988,	234),	which	are	often	excludedby	economic	historians.	The	authors	provide	no	conclusive	answers	to	these	questions,	but	rather	explore	how	thedrive	to	prestige	and	power	did	not	intentionally	aim	for	a	particular	consequence.	The	economic	legacies	of	thecolonies	remain	a	product	of	a	combination	of	colonial	policies	and	indigenous	factors.The	book	then	delves	into	areas	less	commonly	featured	in	economic	history	debates.	In	most	of	the	previouscolonies,	it	is	important	to	understand	the	role	of	colonialism	in	shaping	environmental	discourses	and	policies.Imperial	history	and	environmental	history	often	overlap,	leading	to	a	distorted	form	of	environmental	history.Approaches	like	the	post-colonial	and	colonial	environmentalism	dictate	the	scholarship	in	this	area.	The	formermaintains	that	environmental	policies	of	regulation	are	a	form	of	extending	power	over	indigenous	people;according	to	the	latter,	state	regulations	stem	from	theories	of	ecological	balance	and	human	action	can	upset	this.However,	the	authors	mention	that	this	scholarship	remains	incomplete	as	it	does	not	take	into	account	all	theregions	that	witnessed	indirect	and	limited	colonial	rule.The	book	finally	concludes	with	a	chapter	on	decolonisation,	which	often	remains	ignored	in	the	economic	literatureon	colonialism.	Gardner	and	Roy	have	argued	that	it	is	not	just	the	‘high	points	of	colonial	rule’	but	also	the	end	ofthe	empire	that	are	as	much	a	product	of	the	European	expansion	of	power	and	policies	and	indigenous	factors.Some	regions	saw	a	peaceful	transfer	of	power,	while	others	witnessed	conflict	as	an	immediate	aftermath	ofdecolonisation.	The	transfer	of	power	was	crucial	as	it	offered	opportunities	as	well	as	risks,	the	choice	of	retainingclose	ties	with	imperial	businesses	or	looking	to	rival	powers	for	trade	and	commerce.Along	with	the	historical	roots	of	poverty,	growth	and	inequality	in	the	colonies,	the	book	also	attempts	tounderstand	the	origins	of	the	environmental	challenges	that	many	of	the	emerging	countries	are	facing	in	thecurrent	century.	The	book	gives	a	nuanced	view	of	how	colonial	rule	was	not	merely	intended	as	an	exploitative	toolbut	was	a	combination	of	the	empire’s	desire	for	power,	the	intended	or	unintended	consequences	of	their	policiesas	well	as	local	factors.	While	most	of	the	past	literature	on	the	economic	history	of	colonialism	has	looked	at	theexploitative	motive	or	the	policies	of	the	empire	in	question,	this	book	attempts	to	provide	a	new	understanding	ofthe	process	which	has	had	a	lasting	legacy	for	the	Global	South	even	today.LSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP) Blog: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-08-01Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/08/01/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/Note:	This	article	first	appeared	at	our	sister	site,	LSE	Review	of	Books.	It	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	not	theposition	of	EUROPP	–	European	Politics	and	Policy	or	the	London	School	of	Economics.	Featured	image	credit:‘CO	1069-573-22’	from	The	National	Archives	UK,	No	Known	Copyright	Restrictions	LSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP) Blog: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-08-01Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/08/01/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/

Book review: The economic history of colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy

Book	Review:	The	Economic	History	of	Colonialismby	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	RoyIn	The	Economic	History	of	Colonialism,	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy	offer	a	new	historical	account	ofthe	relationship	between	economic	development	and	colonialism,	showing	how	diverse	processes	of	colonisationimpacted	on	patterns	of	economic	growth.	Seeking	to	understand	the	roots	of	growth	as	well	as	poverty	andinequality	in	formerly	colonised	nations	as	well	as	the	origins	of	the	environmental	challenges	we	are	facing	in	thecurrent	century,	this	book	offers	a	nuanced	study	of	the	economic	history	of	colonialism	and	its	lasting	legacies,finds	Ritwika	Patgiri.The	Economic	History	of	Colonialism.	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy.	Policy	Press.	2021.Understanding	the	Economic	Legacy	of	Colonialism	from	a	Diversity	PerspectiveFind	this	book	(affiliate	link):	Economic	inequality	is	a	reality	of	the	world	that	we	live	in	today.	Many	economichistorians	tend	to	agree	that	the	root	of	most	of	this	economic	inequality	is	a	path-dependent	outcome	of	many	historical	processes,	European	colonialism	being	one	ofthe	most	important	ones.	Leigh	Gardner	and	Tirthankar	Roy’s	The	Economic	Historyof	Colonialism	is	a	reminder	of	the	economic	impact	of	this	colonial	legacy.	However,by	taking	into	consideration	how	the	process	of	colonisation	was	diverse,	they	showthat	it	was	this	diversity	rather	than	the	shared	colonial	legacy	that	shaped	patterns	ofgrowth.	The	book	contains	ten	essays	or	chapters	on	various	aspects	of	theeconomic	history	of	colonialism,	starting	from	understanding	the	link	betweencolonialism	and	the	emergence	of	large	gaps	in	terms	of	per	capita	incomes	betweencountries.Two	transformations	shaped	the	world	–	as	Europeans	conquered	84	per	cent	of	theglobe	between	1492	and	1960,	trade	and	industrialisation	benefitted	some	regionswith	sustained	growth	while	others	were	not	at	the	receiving	end	of	this	(1).	The	bookexplores	the	complexity	of	the	colonial	process	in	different	regions,	leading	to	different	experiences,	and	suggeststhat	there	is	no	linear	narrative	of	colonial	rule	and	economic	change.The	diversity	of	the	experiences	of	various	colonies	raises	the	important	question	of	whether	there	can	be	a	generalaccount	or	theory	of	colonialism.	The	authors	find	that	there	is	a	general	theory	of	the	origins	of	colonialism	which	isa	combination	of	European	expansion	and	the	local	conditions	of	the	regions	that	were	colonised.	The	bookexplores	four	distinct	pathways	of	the	origins	of	colonialism	that	have	emerged	as	a	result	of	this	combination	–	thepolitical	or	the	militaristic	route	(this	route	involved	invasion	or	imposition	without	definite	economic	gain	in	sight,	likein	the	case	of	Algeria	in	the	early	nineteenth	century);	the	commercial	path	(which	can	also	be	called	the	maritimeroute,	in	which	merchants	had	more	agency	and	involved	trading	partnerships	with	local	merchants	and	tradersrather	than	outright	conquest,	like	in	India	from	the	late	eighteenth	century);	the	inland	settler	pattern	(settler-ledcolonisation	or	governments	with	the	intention	of	resettlement	like	the	Portuguese	traders	and	missionaries	settlingin	seventeenth-century	southern	Africa);	and	the	island	settler	pattern	(plantation	societies	emerging	not	as	a	resultof	a	grand	plan,	like	in	the	Atlantic	and	Pacific	Oceans).LSE Review of Books: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-07-08Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/07/08/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/The	book	also	tries	to	understand	the	interconnectedness	of	globalisation	and	colonialism.	The	authors	reject	theclaim	that	globalisation	was	a	one-sided	exchange	between	the	colonies	and	the	colonial	power.	The	book	alsopays	attention	to	the	dynamics	of	growth	and	development	in	the	colonies	during	the	colonisation	and	subsequentdecolonisation	periods.	The	book	further	iterates	that	colonial	states	did	not	merely	exploit	or	benefit	from	the	localpopulation.	It	is	suggested	that	the	interests	of	colonial	governments	might	not	necessarily	be	antithetical	toeconomic	growth	in	their	colonies:	‘Colonialism	offered	little	in	the	way	of	political	or	civil	rights	to	most	indigenousinhabitants	of	the	colonies,	although	there	were	opportunities	of	social	mobility	which	may	have	given	someindividuals	greater	political	voice	than	they	had	under	pre-colonial	systems,	which	were	in	many	cases	neitherdemocratic	nor	egalitarian’	(69).	Even	minimal	colonial	interventions	in	education	and	healthcare	played	a	role	inimproving	the	standards	of	living	for	at	least	some	sections	of	the	people	living	in	some	of	the	colonies.Image	Credit:	Building	of	a	railway	bridge	in	Sri	Lanka	(then	‘Ceylon’).	Crop	of	photograph	‘CO	1069-573-22’	fromThe	National	Archives	UK,	No	Known	Copyright	Restrictions	But	this	did	not	mean	colonialism	aimed	for	the	development	of	all	sectors	or	all	sections	of	society.	In	fact,	most	ofthe	time,	the	consequences	of	a	colonial	policy	were	either	unintended	or	surpassed	their	intention.	The	case	ofrailways	can	be	understood	in	this	context.	Irrespective	of	the	intent,	the	construction	of	railways	led	to	a	reductionin	transport	costs,	hence	opening	up	new	possibilities	for	the	production	of	exports	in	regions	that	were	notpreviously	connected	to	ports.	Railways	also	contributed	to	internal	market	integration	in	larger	colonies	like	India.However,	the	railways,	along	with	the	new	technologies	in	transportation	and	farming,	also	led	to	rising	unequalaccess	to	markets	and	increased	the	vulnerabilities	of	colonial	economies.	With	better	transportation	and	farmingtechnologies,	colonies	saw	opportunities	to	increase	the	incomes	of	both	producers	of	exports	and	suppliers	of	foodand	labour	services	to	exporters.	But	this	growth	through	trade	made	these	colonies	more	susceptible	to	economicreversal	when	prices	fell.	For	example,	when	cocoa	prices	declined	in	the	1930s,	poorer	farmers	were	forced	to	selltheir	trees,	accelerating	inequality	in	Caribbean	island	colonies	(68).	Colonial	governments	were	also	uninterestedin	encouraging	development	in	the	manufacturing	sector	in	the	colonies.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-07-08Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/07/08/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/If	the	economic	benefits	and	costs	of	colonialism	were	mixed,	why	did	these	colonies	exist?	Was	it	just	for	the	solepurpose	of	serving	power	and	prestige?	Did	the	possession	of	colonies	repay	the	cost	of	maintaining	them?	It	isalso	noteworthy	that	apart	from	the	economic	costs	and	benefits,	colonialism	has	also	led	to	social	andpsychological	effects,	or	the	‘imperial	experience’	as	termed	by	A.G.	Hopkins	(1988,	234),	which	are	often	excludedby	economic	historians.	The	authors	provide	no	conclusive	answers	to	these	questions,	but	rather	explore	how	thedrive	to	prestige	and	power	did	not	intentionally	aim	for	a	particular	consequence.	The	economic	legacies	of	thecolonies	remain	a	product	of	a	combination	of	colonial	policies	and	indigenous	factors.The	book	then	delves	into	areas	less	commonly	featured	in	economic	history	debates.	In	most	of	the	previouscolonies,	it	is	important	to	understand	the	role	of	colonialism	in	shaping	environmental	discourses	and	policies.Imperial	history	and	environmental	history	often	overlap,	leading	to	a	distorted	form	of	environmental	history.Approaches	like	the	post-colonial	and	colonial	environmentalism	dictate	the	scholarship	in	this	area.	The	formermaintains	that	environmental	policies	of	regulation	are	a	form	of	extending	power	over	indigenous	people;according	to	the	latter,	state	regulations	stem	from	theories	of	ecological	balance	and	human	action	can	upset	this.However,	the	authors	mention	that	this	scholarship	remains	incomplete	as	it	does	not	take	into	account	all	theregions	that	witnessed	indirect	and	limited	colonial	rule.The	book	finally	concludes	with	a	chapter	on	decolonisation,	which	often	remains	ignored	in	the	economic	literatureon	colonialism.	Gardner	and	Roy	have	argued	that	it	is	not	just	the	‘high	points	of	colonial	rule’	but	also	the	end	ofthe	empire	that	are	as	much	a	product	of	the	European	expansion	of	power	and	policies	and	indigenous	factors.Some	regions	saw	a	peaceful	transfer	of	power,	while	others	witnessed	conflict	as	an	immediate	aftermath	ofdecolonisation.	The	transfer	of	power	was	crucial	as	it	offered	opportunities	as	well	as	risks,	the	choice	of	retainingclose	ties	with	imperial	businesses	or	looking	to	rival	powers	for	trade	and	commerce.Along	with	the	historical	roots	of	poverty,	growth	and	inequality	in	the	colonies,	the	book	also	attempts	tounderstand	the	origins	of	the	environmental	challenges	that	many	of	the	emerging	countries	are	facing	in	thecurrent	century.	The	book	gives	a	nuanced	view	of	how	colonial	rule	was	not	merely	intended	as	an	exploitative	toolbut	was	a	combination	of	the	empire’s	desire	for	power,	the	intended	or	unintended	consequences	of	their	policiesas	well	as	local	factors.	While	most	of	the	past	literature	on	the	economic	history	of	colonialism	has	looked	at	theexploitative	motive	or	the	policies	of	the	empire	in	question,	this	book	attempts	to	provide	a	new	understanding	ofthe	process	which	has	had	a	lasting	legacy	for	the	Global	South	even	today.Note:	This	review	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	and	not	the	position	of	the	LSE	Review	of	Books	blog,	or	of	theLondon	School	of	Economics	and	Political	Science.	The	LSE	RB	blog	may	receive	a	small	commission	if	youchoose	to	make	a	purchase	through	the	above	Amazon	affiliate	link.	This	is	entirely	independent	of	the	coverage	ofthe	book	on	LSE	Review	of	Books.	LSE Review of Books: Book Review: The Economic History of Colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-07-08Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/07/08/book-review-the-economic-history-of-colonialism-by-leigh-gardner-and-tirthankar-roy/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/

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Book review: The economic history of colonialism by Leigh Gardner and Tirthankar Roy

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