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Engelbert Humper asked this question about An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India:
As an Indian I find this writer's venom against Britain more than a bit embarrassing. Britain left India about 70 years ago and with all the resources of modern technology India could have solved its problems of poverty long ago, instead of being the world's greatest reservoir of human misery. The British did a lot of good in India and in their empire, as well as a lot of evil. United India without them? A joke.
David M 'United India without them? A joke.'

My friend, he addresses this exact question in chapter 4 - Divide et Impera.

I find this counterfactual extremely p…more'United India without them? A joke.'

My friend, he addresses this exact question in chapter 4 - Divide et Impera.

I find this counterfactual extremely perplexing, for the simple fact that the British did not leave a united India behind them. They left a painfully partitioned India. I think Tharoor argues convincingly that partition was the legacy of imperialism. (less)
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An Era of Darkness
by Shashi Tharoor
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