Empire Building The Construction of British India 1690–1860

Empire Building is a new account of the East India Companys impact on India focusing on how it changed the subcontinents built environment in the context of defence urbanisation and infrastructural development. Rosie Llewellyn-Jones examines these initiatives through a lens of political building (using Indian contractors and labourers). Railways docks municipal buildings Freemasons lodges hotels racecourses barracks cemeteries statues and canals-everything the British erected made a political statement even if unconsciously. Hence this book is concerned less with architectural styles more with subtle infiltration into the minds of those who saw and used these structures. It assesses in turn Indian responses to the changing landscape. Indians often reacted favourably to new manufacturing technologies from Britain such as minting and gunpowder while the British learnt from and adapted local methods. From military engineers and cartography to imported raw metals and steam power Llewellyn-Jones considers the social and environmental changes wrought by colonialism. This period was marked by a shift from formerly private Indian-controlled functions such as education entertainment trading and healing to British public institutions such as universities theatres chambers of commerce and hospitals. Stepping aside from ongoing colonialism debates this is a fascinating account of Indias physical transformation during the Company period.