Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA most important book
Reviewed in India on 24 September 2019
Just finished reading the latest offering from the master storyteller William Dalrymple, "The Anarchy". It narrates the events that allowed the East India company to overthrow the declining Mughal empire in India and become the masters themselves. You will meet many interesting characters in this book including Siraj-ud-Daula, Robert Clive, Shah Alam, Mir Qasim, Tipu Sultan, Warren Hastings, Corwallis and many more.
But most importantly it tells us in great details how could a small group of merchants from a far away land capture the richest and most powerful empire in the world of that era.
From what I understood the reasons were too
1) Our rulers were all megalomaniac and myopic with no one capable of looking beyond their ego and uniting with others for the greater good
2) The continuous financial support by the indian business class to the East India Company in their endeavors to overthrow existing rulers. So Jagat Seth helped Clive overthrow Siraj and Gopaldas helped Welseley against Tipu. Why? For all that mattered to these individuals was greater financial returns, even if that meant accepting a foreign invasion!
300 years later what has really changed? Are our leaders truly United even on issues of National importance?
Are our business class morale enough to not sell the country for a greater return on investment?
Sorry for the long post but, I do hope friends that you read this most important book 😊
