Overview

Why did charity become the outlet for global compassion? Charity After Empire traces the history of humanitarian agencies such as Oxfam, Save the Children and Christian Aid. It shows how they obtained a permanent presence in the alleviation of global poverty, why they were supported by the public and how they were embraced by governments in Britain and across Africa. Through several fascinating life stories and illuminating case studies across the UK and in countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Kenya, Hilton explains how the racial politics of Southern Africa shaped not only the history of international aid but also the meaning of charity and its role in the alleviation of poverty both at home and abroad. In doing so, he makes a powerful case for the importance of charity in the shaping of modern Britain over the extended decades of decolonization in the latter half of the twentieth century.

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9781009675109

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Reviews

‘Charity after Empire skilfully unravels the messy, complicated, ambivalent, classed, racialized and anti-racial histories of charities across new times from post 1945 to decolonisation and development. Stories of individuals and institutions, domestic political economy and the geo-political world, tell of the many agents engaged in shaping contemporary UK humanitarian sensibilities.’ Catherine Hall, author of Lucky Valley: Edward Long and the History of Racial Capitalism ‘A wonderfully thoughtful argument which takes the reader to unexpected destinations. The lucid prose takes the reader down many compelling by-ways, its conclusions staying in the mind. ‘Charity’ will never seem the same again. A marvellous book.’ Bill Schwarz, author of Memories of Empire ‘Matthew Hilton deftly weaves together narratives ranging from the global to the personal to produce a masterful account of British humanitarianism in the twentieth century. Deeply researched, incisive, and written in prose that is both accessible and erudite, Charity After Empire assumes a central place in the scholarship of humanitarianism, development, and post-imperial Britain.’ Agnieszka Sobocinska, author of Saving the World?: Western Volunteers and the Rise of the Humanitarian-Development Complex ‘Britain’s end of empire story appears in a whole new light in Charity After Empire, revealing the enduring entanglements of the humanitarian impulse at home and abroad. Matthew Hilton skilfully unpacks the moral world of faith, philanthropy, aid and everyday giving in the face of the twin challenges of decolonisation and development. A landmark study of remarkable breadth, vision, and narrative verve.’ Stuart Ward, author of Untied Kingdom: A Global History of the End of Britain

Author Information

Matthew Hilton is Professor of Social History at Queen Mary University of London. He has written widely on the history of political activism, social movements and nongovernmental organisations. Previous publications include Prosperity for All: Consumer Activism in an Era of Globalisation (2009) and, as co-author, The Politics of Expertise: How NGOs Shaped Modern Britain (2013).

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