Britain's racist imperialism also inspired America's own racist imperialism. And, you know, the enslaved who ended up in America did so largely due to the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which the British Empire dominated. The Puritans who ended up on your side of the Atlantic, you know, they were escaping religious persecution, but they were British. You know, the 13 colonies were a distinct phase of British colonialism. SANGHERA: Yeah, I mean, America likes to think of itself as anti-colonial, but America itself is a creation of the British Empire. readers, which says - if I might paraphrase - just because you guys rebelled against the British Empire in 1776 doesn't mean the story doesn't apply to you. SIMON: You've got an opening chapter added for and addressing U.S. Sathnam Sanghera joins us now from London. His new book, 'Empireland,' has been acclaimed in Britain and just published in the United States. Author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera believes that Britain and the rest of the world should learn more of it. A lot of history - Indian, British, African, empire - is packed into that one sentence. In his bestselling book, Sathnam Sanghera shows how our imperial past is everywhere: from how we live and think to the foundation of the NHS and even our response to the COVID-19 crisis.Īt a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Empireland is a groundbreaking revelation - a much-needed and enlightening portrait of contemporary British society, shining a light on everything that usually gets left unsaid.The prime minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak, was born in Southampton to Hindu parents of Indian Punjabi descent who were born in Southeast Africa and immigrated to Britain. Strangely hidden from view, the British Empire remains a subject of both shame and glorification.

'The real remedy is education of the kind that Sanghera has embraced - accepting, not ignoring, the past' Gerard deGroot, The TimesĮMPIRE explains why there are millions of Britons living worldwide.ĮMPIRE explains Brexit and the feeling that we are exceptional.ĮMPIRE explains our distrust of cleverness.ĮMPIRE explains Britain's particular brand of racism. ***THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE CHANNEL 4 DOCUMENTARY 'EMPIRE STATE OF MIND'***

WINNER OF THE 2022 BRITISH BOOK AWARD FOR NARRATIVE NONFICTION

Sanghera empireland