Summary of The Anarchy

The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company by William Dalrymple is a sweeping history of the East India Company, which was once the most powerful corporation on earth. The book chronicles the company's rise to prominence and its eventual downfall as a result of its reckless pursuit of profits at the expense of its Indian hosts. The book provides a vivid account of the dramatic events that shook the Indian subcontinent in the eighteenth century, as the Company accumulated ever-more power and wealth through a mixture of shrewd diplomacy and unabashed greed. The book also goes beyond merely describing the events to examine their underlying causes and expose the rapacious mentality that drove the company's actions. Ultimately, the book paints a vivid and disturbing picture of the legacy left by the East India Company that shaped India for generations and still affects its politics today.