The Anarchy

Outline

The Anarchy (2019) tells how the East India Company, a private trading business, rose to control much of India in the eighteenth century. William Dalrymple describes how the company used its own army, political alliances, and the weakening of the Mughal Empire to seize power and wealth. The book is a powerful account of corporate power and its consequences.

• The East India Company began as a private trading business and ended up controlling much of India in the eighteenth century.
• The company built and used its own army, which let it turn trade into territorial control.
• Political alliances helped the company gain power, not only military force.
• The weakening of the Mughal Empire created the opening that the company used to seize power and wealth.
• The book shows what can happen when a business holds unchecked power and the consequences that follow.

William Dalrymple is a Scottish historian and writer who has lived in India for many years and writes about the history of South Asia. He has won many awards for his books and co-founded a major literary festival in India. His books include White Mughals, The Last Mughal, The Anarchy, and The Golden Road.