Ornamentalism

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For the architectural style, see Ornamentalism (architecture).
Ornamentalism: How the British Saw Their Empire
ISBN
978-0195157949

Ornamentalism: How the British Saw Their Empire is a book by David Cannadine about British perceptions of the British Empire.[1] Cannadine argues that class, rank and status[2] were more important to the British Empire than race.[3] The title of the work Ornamentalism is a direct reference to Edward Said's book Orientalism, which argues the existence of prejudiced outsider interpretations of the East ("the Other"), shaped by the attitudes of European imperialism in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has also been argued to borrow tones from the title of Joseph Schumpeter's "Imperialism and Social Classes",[4]

which some historians see as the origins of the 'Ornamentalist' perspective in academic history'.

Analysis

Ornamentalism presents a new view of the

Empress of India
. National distinctions of class and inequality in Britain directly diffused throughout the empire.

P. J. Marshall states that Cannadine makes two arguments in Ornamentalism:

  • "...the history of the British empire and the
    history of Britain itself are inseparable and must be studied as a seamless whole"[5]
  • "the high days of British imperialism, that is from about 1850 to about 1950, the history of the empire and that of Britain were brought together by a British commitment to reproduce overseas the kind of hierarchical society that, Cannadine believes, existed in Britain"[5]

Criticism

Ornamentalism has attracted considerable attention from both academics and the public. Stanley Hoffmann, a history professor at Harvard University described the book as "delightful and instructive", revealing a "far more complex reality" of the British Empire.[6] Richard Gott, a journalist and historian, argued that "his book is not just a restatement of traditional conservative history, it is a romantic and postmodernist version suitable for the New Labour era."[7]

The book has also been criticized for underplaying the racial elements of the British imperial project.

professor at Princeton University
, argued that "The empire itself was based on a racial divide -- you cannot get away from that."

See also

References

  1. ^ Richard Gott (2001-05-08). "Review: Ornamentalism by David Cannadine | Books". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  2. Project MUSE 7430
    .
  3. ^ "Review-a-Day - Ornamentalism : How the British Saw Their Empire (02 Edition) by David Cannadine, reviewed by The New Republic Online - Powell's Books". Powells.com. 2001-10-11. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  4. JSTOR 3830190
    .
  5. ^ a b Peter J. Marshall (June 2001). "Review of Ornamentalism". History in Focus: Empire.
  6. ^ Hoffmann, Stanley (28 January 2009). "Ornamentalism: How the British Saw Their Empire". Foreign Affairs.
  7. ^ Gott, Richard (5 May 2001). "White wash". The Guardian.
  8. ^ Robert McCrum (2001-05-08). "Observer review: Ornamentalism by David Cannadine | Books | The Observer". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  9. ^ Ajami, Fouad (26 August 2001). "Married to the Raj". The New York Times.

External links

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