In Episode 147 of Ill Literacy, Tim Benson talks with Nigel Biggar, author ofColonialism: A Moral Reckoning.

Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Nigel Biggar, Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford, to discuss his new book, Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning. They discuss whether the British Empire was driven primarily by greed and the lust to dominate, whether we should speak of “colonialism and slavery” in the same breath, and whether the Empire was essentially racist. They also chat about whether the Empire was driven by economic exploitation, whether it was essentially violent, and whether colonial government was or was not illegitimate. 

Get the book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-World-That-Wasnt/Benn-Steil/9781982127824

Show Notes:

The Critic: Robert Lyman – “The British empire, for good and ill”

https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/march-2023/the-british-empire-for-good-and-ill/

First Things: Nigel Biggar – “A Christian Defense of American Empire”

https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/10/a-christian-defense-of-american-empire

The Guardian: Kenan Malik – “Colonialism by Nigel Biggar review – a flawed defence of empire”

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/20/colonialism-a-moral-reckoning-by-nigel-biggar-review-a-flawed-defence-of-empire

Law & Liberty: Sumantra Maitra – “Was the British Empire Really a Force for Good?”

https://lawliberty.org/book-review/was-the-british-empire-really-a-force-for-good/

Literary Review: Jonathan Sumption – “Cruel Britannia?”

https://literaryreview.co.uk/cruel-britannia

National Post: Peter Shawn Taylor – “Peter Shawn Taylor: Colonialism contained 'good things as well as bad.' Why can’t we just accept that?”

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/colonialism-contained-good-things-as-well-as-bad-why-cant-we-just-accept-that

National Review: Andrew Roberts – “The Upside of Empire”

https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2023/07/31/the-upside-of-empire/

The New Statesman: Tomiwa Owolade – “Nigel Biggar’s whitewashing of empire”

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2023/03/nigel-biggar-whitewashing-empire

Public Discourse­: Samuel Gregg – “Reckoning with Colonialism”

https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2023/05/88467/

Quadrant: Matthew White – “A Moral Reckoning of the British Empire”

https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2023/05/a-moral-reckoning-of-the-british-empire/

Quillette: John Lloyd – “Colonialism and Its Discontents”

https://quillette.com/2023/02/06/colonialism-and-its-discontents/

The Spectator: David Crane – “Failing to denigrate Britain’s entire colonial record has become a heinous crime”

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/failing-to-denigrate-britains-entire-colonial-record-has-become-a-heinous-crime/

The Telegraph: Tim Stanley – “Colonialism by Nigel Biggar review: defending the British empire, this book is spoiling for a fight”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/colonialism-nigel-biggar-review-defending-british-empire-book/

Times Literary Supplement: David Arnold – “In defence of empire”

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/colonialism-nigel-biggar-book-book-review-david-arnold/

Wall Street Journal: Tunku Varadarajan – “‘Colonialism’ Review: Empire Without Apology”

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/colonialism-review-empire-without-apology-80ecc195

Washington Free Beacon: Douglas Murray – “The Upsides of Empire”

https://freebeacon.com/culture/the-upsides-of-empire/