Recasting the British Empire from American Independence to World War II

This book tells the story of how Britain re-emerged through step-by-step reform, development and expansion from 1784 to 1939 after the defeat in the North American War of Independence and the disintegration of the First Empire. Domestically, in the face of population growth and the polarization between rich and poor brought about by the Industrial Revolution, Britain was not bewitched by abstract ideas. Instead, it used parliament as a reform mechanism and in a spirit of mutual accommodation, which prevented clusters of social conflicts from intensifying into large-scale violence. As far as the overseas empire is concerned, the failure of North America made British imperialism enter a new stage. It no longer carried out rigid control, but emphasized the value of freedom and the symbol of royal power as a bond, giving more autonomy to the colonies, which was also tested by the world war.