This provocative essay examines the intersection of power and productivity in the context of British imperialism. The author argues that a culture of efficiency was crucial to the success of the British Empire, allowing it to dominate much of the world in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from economic theory to military history, the author shows how efficiency became both a means and an end of imperial power, shaping everything from factory work to colonial administration.

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