Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution by Priya Satia

Named One of the Best Books of 2018 by the San Francisco Chronicle and Smithsonian Magazine

Empire of Guns by award-winning historian Priya Satia offers a groundbreaking perspective on the Industrial Revolution, British imperial expansion, and the rise of industrial capitalism by exploring their deep ties to the gun trade. This richly detailed and ambitious work reframes our understanding of a pivotal era, revealing how war and violence were integral to Britain’s economic and industrial growth.

At the heart of the narrative is the story of Samuel Galton, a prominent gunmaker from Birmingham, whose Quaker community condemns him for violating their pacifist principles. Galton, in turn, argues that Britain’s pervasive reliance on war-driven industry implicates every citizen in the economy of violence. Through this scandal, Satia weaves a powerful tale of how the gun trade fueled Britain’s transformation into a global superpower, exposing the roots of the modern military-industrial complex.

Praised for its deep scholarship and compelling prose, Empire of Guns illuminates the intricate connections between industry, government, and warfare, while challenging long-held notions about innovation and progress. Sweeping in scope and masterful in execution, this is an essential read for those seeking to understand the complexities of the Industrial Revolution and its lasting impact on the world.