Power over peoples

Daniel Headrick traces the evolution of Western technologies - from muskets and galleons to jet planes and smart bombs - and sheds light on the environmental and social factors that have brought victory in some cases and unforeseen defeat in others. He shows how superior technology translates into greater power over nature and sometimes even other people, yet how technological superiority is no guarantee of success in imperialist ventures - because the technology only delivers results in a specific environment, or because the society being attacked responds in unexpected ways. Breathtaking in scope, "Power over Peoples" is a revealing history of technological innovation, its promise and limitations, and its central role in the rise and fall of empire.