The Illusion of Permanence

More about the book

Focusing on the intellectual climate of British imperialism in nineteenth-century India, the author combines intellectual history with social psychology to reveal how the illusion of permanence emerged prior to the Great Mutiny of 1857. This pivotal event solidified a rigid imperialistic mindset. The study draws from a diverse array of sources, including literary works like Jane Eyre and A Passage to India, as well as diaries, letters, essays, and parliamentary records, offering a comprehensive examination of the period's societal attitudes.