Britain's Declining Empire
The Road to Decolonisation, 1918–1968

A major reassessment of the end of the British empire, focusing on the period after 1945, first published in 2007.

Ronald Hyam (Author)

9780521866491, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 February 2007

484 pages, 23 b/w illus. 9 maps
23.5 x 15.8 x 3.3 cm, 0.899 kg

'It will probably come to be regarded as the best single-volume general account of decolonisation that has been written and answers familiar questions about the end of empire exceptionally well. In a field that has grown rich with general accounts, it offers the greatest sense of colour and personality in considering the end of empire, combined with an Olympian breadth of vision.' English Historical Review

An authoritative political history of one of the world's most important empires on the road to decolonisation. Ronald Hyam's 2007 book offers a major reassessment of the end of empire which combines a study of British policymaking with case studies on the experience of decolonization across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. He describes the dysfunctional policies of an imperial system coping with postwar, interwar and wartime crises from 1918 to 1945 but the main emphasis is on the period after 1945 and the gradual unravelling of empire as a result of international criticism, and the growing imbalance between Britain's capabilities and its global commitments. He analyses the transfers of power from India in 1947 to Swaziland in 1968, the major crises such as Suez and assesses the role of leading figures from Churchill, Attlee and Eden to Macmillan and Wilson. This is essential reading for scholars and students of empire and decolonisation.

Preface
Introduction
1. 'The whole world is rocking': British governments and a dysfunctional imperial system, 1918–45
2. 'British imperialism is dead': the Attlee government and the end of empire, 1945–51
3. 'Rugged and tangled difficulties': the Churchill and Eden governments and the end of Empire, 1951–6
4. 'The wind of change is blowing…': the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments and the end of empire, 1957–64
5. 'We could no longer afford to honour our pledges': the Wilson government and the end of empire, 1964–8
Epilogue
Select bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Colonialism & imperialism [HBTQ], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], British & Irish history [HBJD1], History [HB]