Sir Richard Turnbull, the last British Governor of Aden, once quipped: “When the British Empire finally sank beneath the waves of history, it would leave behind it only two monuments: one was the game of Association Football, the other was the expression ‘Fuck Off’.” It’s an irresistibly sharp line — a comic dismissal of imperial … Read more
ColonialLegacy, Decolonisation, Empireland, GlobalInequality, HistoricalMemory, MiddleEastHistory, PoliticalHistory, PostColonial, SlaveryAbolition
The Great Military Misadventure: Eisenhower’s Warning, America’s Wars, and the Myth of Success
lemontree.press
Televised Wars and Forgotten Lessons I can remember watching live TV in 1991 as the USA launched Operation Desert Storm—the first Gulf War. Led by the theatrically nicknamed “Stormin’ Schwarzkopf,” the spectacle of war unfolded like a made-for-TV movie. For a month, the bombing campaign transfixed global audiences and ended in a ceasefire. It was … Read more
conflict, defence, Eisenhower, GUlf War, Impreial decline, Iran, Iraq, military-industrial complex, spending, US foreign policy, war, war on terror
The Rise and Erosion of the Welfare State: A Social Contract Under Siege (Again)
lemontree.press
By Our Public Goods Correspondent, Still Fighting for Bulk-Billed Dignity The erosion of the welfare state is more than policy drift—it’s a dismantling of a hard-won social contract. The belief that society should care for its most vulnerable is ancient—rooted in faith, morality, and history. But the modern welfare state, as a state-backed promise of … Read more
Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard: Unveiling Roman Emperors’ History
In her best-selling book SPQR, Mary Beard told the history of ancient Rome in a conventional, historical way. She has moved away from that in her latest book, Emperor of Rome. In this book, she looks at the emperors who ruled the Roman Empire, starting with Julius Caesar (assassinated in 44 BCE) and moving through … Read more
Nexus – Yuval Noah Harari
Yuval Noah Harari’s delves into the dangers of AI but uniquely examines this issue through the lens of human societal development and the lessons we may or may not have learned. Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus asks, “Why are we so good at accumulating more information and power, but far less successful at acquiring wisdom?” Beginning … Read more
Western Civilization Origins: How the World Made the West by Josephine Quinn
Josephine Quinn (Bloomsbury) Challenging the Myth of Western Civilization Origins How the World Made the West is a revolutionary book that challenges the myth of Western Civilization Origins. Josephine Quinn argues that our understanding of history was shaped by modern interpretations, not ancient truths. What we see when we look back into the past is … Read more