This insightful book explores one of the great dramas of the twentieth century: how imperial powers left their colonial territories.
Foreign Affairs
The unwinding of Europe's vast colonial empires is one of the great transitions of the twentieth century. Hendrik Spruyt explains the process with clear, nuanced arguments, backed with historical studies, all designed to show ... Read morewhy different imperial powers handled that unwinding so differently. What accounts for the differences, according to Spruyt, are the varied political structures in the metropolitan countries themselves. In some countries-but not in all-groups opposed to decolonization held effective veto power over territorial changes. In developing this 'veto points' approach, Spruyt's Ending Empire provides a powerful analysis of the varied paths that decolonization took. It is a major achievement.
Charles Lipson, University of Chicago Ending Empire is a remarkable achievement. Hendrik Spruyt addresses the collapse of overseas empires and, in one case, a multinational state/continental empire. Spruyt shines in his talent for combining theoretically informed analysis with deep historical research across multiple cases.
David A. Lake, University of California, San Diego An elegant and compelling account of the politics of decolonization, Ending Empire is a major contribution to the literature on imperialism and to the study of how domestic institutions shape grand strategy.
Charles A. Kupchan, Georgetown University and Council on Foreign Relations, author of The Vulnerability of Empire and The End of the American Era Show Less