How One Company Ruled India
The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire
by William Dalrymple
History
TL;DR
This book spills the tea on how the East India Company basically invented corporate villainy. It's a masterclass in unregulated power, showing how a private entity can exploit resources, manipulate politics, and wage war for profit. You'll learn about strategic bribery, debt traps as weapons, and the art of divide and conquer on a national scale. Basically, it's a cautionary tale about what happens when profit is the only KPI and accountability is non-existent.
Action Items
Check your subscriptions. Are you paying for something you don't use? Cancel that shit before it owns your soul (and wallet).
Next time you see drama brewing, resist the urge to add fuel to the fire. Or, if you're feeling spicy, observe how others try to manipulate situations by dividing people.
Think about who really holds power in your community. Is it always the official authorities, or are there other forces at play? Stay woke.
Support small businesses and independent creators. Don't let the big dogs eat everything. Diversify your consumption, fam.
Unlock the full book to see more action items
Key Chapter
Chapter - The Art of the Corporate Coup: When Your Board Meeting Becomes a Battlefield
This chapter really hammers home how the East India Company wasn't just trading spices; they were playing 4D chess with entire nations. It shows how they'd identify weak spots in local leadership, then swoop in with "help" that always ended up with them owning everything. It's like that friend who "helps" you move, but then charges you for the pizza and "accidentally" takes your favorite gaming console. The key takeaway? Never trust a corporation bearing gifts when their main goal is your stuff. They perfected the art of turning economic leverage into political domination, proving that sometimes, the pen (or ledger) is mightier than the sword, especially when backed by a private army.
Key Methods and Approaches
The "Debt Trap"
(AKA: Financial Enslavement)
Description:
Lending money to people or states they can't pay back, then taking their stuff or land as collateral.
Explanation:
Imagine your friend borrows twenty bucks for a late-night munchies run, promises to pay you back, but then "forgets." So you "help" them out by taking their favorite hoodie. Now imagine that, but with entire countries and their entire economy. It's like giving a kid a lollipop, then demanding their entire candy stash when they can't pay for it.
Examples:
Lending money to a broke friend, then "owning" their Netflix account until they pay up.
Offering a "free trial" that auto-renews and is impossible to cancel, trapping you into monthly payments.
Countries taking loans from other countries, then having to give up control of ports or resources when they default.
Today's Action:
Check your subscriptions. Are you paying for something you don't use? Cancel that shit before it owns your soul (and wallet).
End of Preview
Want to read the complete insights, methods, and actionable takeaways? Unlock the full book experience with Pro.
Your daily 1-minute insights