Defender or challenger? A bold look at colonial policy and trade, told through historical letters.
This collection presents a polemical exchange centered on imperial governance, civil rights, and economic policy, framed as letters to the Earl of Liverpool and drawing on documents from the period.
In these pages, readers follow a detailed argument about the state of colonies and the economics of empire. The author defends British administration and questions anti-colonial critiques, using excerpts and references to public correspondence of the era. The material covers Hayti, Sierra Leone, India, China, Java, and sugar production, with discussions of emancipation and labor systems.
What you’ll experience:
- A firsthand-style series of letters and rebuttals addressing key colonial issues
- Comparisons between policy aims, civil rights, and political economy
- Examination of published debates and official documents from the period
- Appendix material including correspondence and errata
Ideal for readers of historical policy debates, imperial history, and primary-source controversy, who want insight into 19th‑century viewpoints on empire and trade.