Heaven's command by Jan Morris

The book catalogues the psychological change of the British in the aftermath of the American Independence leading them into an age of Imperialism. The British used their experience of the American colony  which was basically that ‘more successful an overseas settlement, the more likely it was to break away from the mother country’, to abolish slavery which gave it a huge moral high. Thus the abolishment of slavery, which seemed to an almost suicidal step economically was turned into a huge moralistic gain with the help of the Evangelist movement as the main trigger for Imperialism.

Jan’s picks on very pertinent examples of this new moral and righteous Imperialist crusade in Africa where the English used slavery as the very basis for subjugating any opposition like the Boers, and in India where the customs of Sati and Thuggee were obliterated using the same ethical argument. These and other similar noble causes were exploited by the righteous British to morally subjugate the native population into submission, which meant that the natives were always playing a catch up to the British, thus ensuring that the colony was never actually be allowed to be as successful as the mother country. That also explains why the British classes in India for example, always seemed much more closer to the moral, judicious and humanist British idealist model as compared to their actual counterparts living in Britain. The British in India needed to project a perfect image in order to justify their superiority over the natives so as not to repeat the same mistake as their American colony. 

The book presents one incident after another on the timeline of the Empire, analysing the change on the British people as they slowly began to realise the magnitude of their possessions. The cornerstone of the Empire is basically a mishmash of Christian Evangelists principles and Darwin’s Evolutionary theory. The moral justifications of racism is given in the light of the Original sin, with different colored people in tougher plight, due to their level of sin. 

By the end of this massive first book, we are left with a British character whose

Chauvinistic is not very cruel.

Racialism is more ignorant than malicious.

Skin deep militarism.

Passion for imperialist grandeur was more transient and superficial, more of a show piece than love of power.

Visible conceit due to unparalleled level of achievement.

Cannot wait to read the second book in the series……...