The Last Imperialist

Bruce Gilley‘s The Last Imperialist supports many of British diplomat Sir Alan Burns’ arguments that decolonization was mismanaged and sped up irrationally by political forces after WWII. To justify these claims, Gilley explores the life and colonial activities of Alan Burns including posts in the Caribbean, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and Fiji. Throughout these postings, the author notes both British and global viewpoints on colonial administration. The author also describes the cultural nuances associated with each colony, and Burns’ actions to improve the lives of his administered subjects. Overall, Gilley describes Burns as an effective administrator, and utilizes these proof points to bolster Burns’ claims that the rapid dissolution of colonial governments was not justified.

Historical Comprehension

The author conducted onsite interviews and worked alongside Sir Alan Burns’ family to discover unpublished materials to complement the subject’s prior published works. Gilley also extensively cites works by African history professor Richard Rathbone and various original materials from the United Nations alongside other primary sources. Given the lack of fulsome biographical information on Burns apart from his own publications, the author pieces together a newfound narrative validating Burns’ actions and thoughts on colonialism.

Modern Readability

The author’s commentary critiquing current historical sentiments on colonial administration coupled with an even chronological flow makes this an enjoyable read for modern readers. Given Burns’ many postings in lesser known territories, the average reader will need to consult external sources to fully grasp how his policies impacted these colonies. The author could have presented a more in-depth history of these colonies to give readers greater context for how British colonial administration positively impacted them. However, this Burns-focused narrative concisely captures a justification for lengthier colonialism purely based on his administrative policies.

Unique and Balanced Perspective

Gilley covers the experiences of a lesser known historical figure who held challenging government positions given the era’s political climate. This is the first work detailing Burns’ collective thoughts colonialism. Given that this is a contrarian account of colonial history, Gilley notes the opinions of various anti-colonial scholars and political pundits. The author effectively defends Burns’ points on the benefits of colonialism. However, this interpretation based on a single person’s influence on colonial policy is flawed in that it doesn’t capture the impacts of less effective administrators (Burns’ contemporaries). The author could’ve highlighted the impact of other administrators to more effectively validate British and broader European colonialism, overall.