The Anarchy: The relentless rise of the East India Company, with author William Dalrymple

Historian and bestselling author William Dalrymple speaks about his latest book, The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company. This annual lecture is King's Chevening Distinguished Annual Lecture, hosted by The School of Global Affairs and King’s Business School as part of the Chevening Financial Services Leadership Programme.

The lecture is chaired by Professor Niraja Jayal, Avantha Chair, King’s India Institute.

This lecture took place on 30 May 2022.

Chapters:

0:00 - William Dalrymple and his book on corporate excess
3:44 - The rise and fall of the East India Company
19:49 - The EIC’s use of Indian money and capital to take over India
27:33 - The privateering origins of the East India Company
37:22 - The Madras Sepoys and the East India military
45:15 - Subsequent taxing and land assessment of India
54:39 - 1867 and the beginning of the fall of the company
1:00:19 - Contemporary historiography about the East India Company
1:12:28 - Should there be more colonial education in UK systems
1:16:23 - Impacts on the way history is taught and presented in India
1:21:50 - To what extent did state intervention from Great Britain play a role?

[mdog]

I've just finished reading 'The Anarchy' and have got to say that if you enjoyed this talk and want to know more, the book is well worth acquiring for a deep dive on the subject. It's a very accessible read and I learned a lot about how a private corporation (and not the British state as I'd previously assumed) destabilised and eventually conquered one of the most propserous and populous regions of the world. A really interesting book!

[someoneelse]

My friend recently applied for, and received the trade mark in Australia for "the East India company" ....
He's nuts

[HelenKempster]

What a fantastic talk. It makes a whole lot of things so much clearer. Thank you, I will have to buy the book.

[alexandrahanson-harding]

Thank you so much for this interesting and complex lecture.

[tonyholmes]

5 in a row. Championi magnificienti getting rounder with each award. Respect to the bearded Oracle of Queensferry.

[AllyGray]

Made possible by Public-Private Partnership

[caveman]

Great talk
Thank you
Getting the book

[captainscarlett]

I've read the book. It's as much about the vicious and brutal local politics as it is about the ruthless and acquisitive 'Company'. The Indians did worse to other Indians than the British ever did, not that they objected to the way things were done. They benefited from it.

[abhimanyusingh]

But his work Anarchy is well received and appreciated

[philipwipernickle]

I like that this guy is rubbing empire and empire simps' noses in the harm they caused as they always make excuses for themselves. They are just sooo "smart" haven't you heard!

[janakjodhan]

To what extent did Clive's fleet of pirate ships involved in plundering Asian spices bound for Europe?

[ParikshitBhujbal]

Can the volume be any lower? cant afford a good mic?

[LouAlvis]

Iike Mr Dalrymple? check out his Podcasr "empire" with Anita Annand

[salisburyroad]

I found the book 1491 interesting as well perhaps you could have a lecture about this

[shrimatbohra]

11:08 what is the name of this tower palace

[SourishDas]

Disagree with William Dalrymple with the statement that Indians are not aware of Jagat Seth and Mir Zafar's deeds... I grew up in Kolkata and we were taught in our school about how Jagat Seth and Mir Zafar conspired and brought British to India. I agree outside Bengal - not many Indian knows about it - that because of shoddy history lessons in Indian schools (other than Bengal ;)

[Dishfire]

Most of the directors of the East India Company were not English they were Scots, ie the Merchant Class as educated managers.

[mohapaop]

Absoutely poorest quality of closed captions in this Video. Why does GOOGLE provide such LOW QUALITY captioning for such an imporatnt work of history. WHY?

[rod]

Nuanced! Watch it, ignore other commentors…

[baztel]

Totally different from an Indian perspective 🙈