An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India

by Shashi Tharoor

The question never honestly confronted by the apologists of Empire is the classic ‘cui bono?’—who benefited from British imperial rule? The answer is evidently Britain itself.* Let’s look at the numbers one last time, widening the lens a little. A fascinating comparative chart of countries’ share of global GDP throughout history is instructive. In 1 CE, as Christianity lay literally in swaddling clothes, India accounted for 33 per cent of global GDP, while the UK, France and Germany combined scored barely 3 per cent. By 1700, the equivalent figures were 25 per cent and 11 per cent; by 1870, at Empire’s peak, 12.5 per cent for India and 22 per cent for the three European countries; in 1913, with India’s further impoverishment, 9 per cent versus 22.5 per cent. In 1950, just after the British left, India stood at 4 per cent; in 2008, this figure was above 7 per cent and climbing. The UK, France and Germany, having dropped to 16 per cent in 1950, are hovering at 9 per cent today. As of 2014 Britain accounted for 2.4 per cent of global GDP, down from 6 per cent twenty-five years ago. History administers its own correctives.