Lineages of Despotism and Development: British Colonialism and State Power

by Matthew Lange

Overview

Traditionally, social scientists have assumed that past imperialism hinders the future development prospects of colonized nations. Challenging this widespread belief, Matthew Lange argues in Lineages of Despotism and Development that countries once under direct British imperial control have developed more successfully than those that were ruled indirectly.

            Combining statistical analysis with in-depth case studies of former British colonies, this volume argues that direct rule promoted cogent and coherent states with high levels of bureaucratization and inclusiveness, which contributed to implementing development policy during late colonialism and independence. On the other hand, Lange finds that indirect British rule created patrimonial, weak states that preyed on their own populations. Firmly grounded in the tradition of comparative-historical analysis while offering fresh insight into the colonial roots of uneven development, Lineages of Despotism and Development will interest economists, sociologists, and political scientists alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780226470702
Publisher:	University of Chicago Press
Publication date:	08/01/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	260
File size:	872 KB

About the Author

Matthew Lange is assistant professor of sociology at McGill University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction: British Colonialism and Developmental Legacies

2. The Developmental Legacies of British Colonialism: A State-Centered Framework for Analysis

3. A Statistical Analysis of British Colonial Legacies

4. Mauritius: Direct Rule and Development

5. Sierra Leone: Indirect Rule and Despotism

6. Guyana: A Case of Despotism Despite Direct Rule

7. Botswana: A Case of Development Despite Indirect Rule

8. Comparing British Colonialism: Testing the Generalizability of Colonial State Legacies

9. Conclusion and Discussion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

Here in this book is the best explanation of the colonial roots of effective and defective states among the former British colonies yet produced. Lange offers sound theoretical reasons for why ‘direct’ versus ‘indirect’ British rule might set countries down profoundly different paths of development. And his empirical assessment, which includes both case studies and statistical tests, is extremely persuasive.”

James Mahoney

Matthew Lange has produced an exceptional work of theoretical and methodological synthesis. He combines the insights of Peter Evans, Michael Mann, and Max Weber into a coherent and convincing explanation for the divergent impact of British colonialism on long-term human development. No one has mustered such an impressive array of qualitative and quantitative evidence to show that colonialism indeed mattered, and in fact mattered very much—not only for those who experienced British imperialism in their own lifetimes, but for their post-colonial descendants as well. With this book, Lange has established himself as a leading voice in the growing interdisciplinary debates on colonialism’s developmental legacies.

Dan Slater