Adam-hochschild Quote by Bruce Gilley
““As I wrote, despite the malicious craft practiced by Hochschild and others, I am glad that an extensive documentary record of the EIC and of European colonies more generally survives, not that I expect any honest use of them in our current moral panic. Hochschild was merely an early entry into a genre that has since blossomed into an industry of scholars who “interrogate” the archives to cough up evidence of the evils of the West. There is of course no such documentary record of the horrific conditions the Europeans replaced, and in any case most Western readers would not buy a book on endemic venereal disease in Africa or stool disputes among the Kuba. A salacious tale on the Belgian king and his mistresses torturing black people to pay for their follies? Now you’re talking!””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, 1990s (paraphrased)
The author critiques the selective use of historical archives to vilify the West while ignoring colonial atrocities, noting the scarcity of honest scholarship on European-imposed suffering.
In simple terms: Selective history can mislead and ignore real suffering.
Key Takeaway
Question sources and seek balanced perspectives.
Themes
history
colonialism
ethics
scholarship
media
bias
Mood
critical
skeptical
reflective
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- public policy
- education
- media analysis
Key Concepts
postcolonial studies
archival research
moral panic
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we differentiate rigorous critique from agenda‑driven narratives?
- What responsibilities do scholars have when presenting colonial histories?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overgeneralize scholars’ motives and ignore genuine critical work.
