Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company

In this book, the history of the British South Africa Company becomes a window into one of the central contradictions of modern empire: the transformation of a profit-driven corporation into a sovereign political power. Moving between intellectual history, political philosophy, and settler-colonial...

पूर्ण विवरण

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ग्रंथसूची विवरण
मुख्य लेखक: Paci, Bernardo
स्वरूप: Online
भाषा:अंग्रेज़ी
प्रकाशित: FedOA - Federico II University Press 2026
विषय:
ऑनलाइन पहुंच:https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/176919
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author Paci, Bernardo
author_browse Paci, Bernardo
author_facet Paci, Bernardo
author_sort Paci, Bernardo
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description In this book, the history of the British South Africa Company becomes a window into one of the central contradictions of modern empire: the transformation of a profit-driven corporation into a sovereign political power. Moving between intellectual history, political philosophy, and settler-colonial studies, the book reconstructs the myths through which the Company justified the conquest and governance of Rhodesia from the late nineteenth century onward. Drawing extensively on the Company’s own archives, reports, and propaganda, the book traces six major myths of legitimation: lawful occupation through treaties, the fight against the slave trade, the protection of the Shona from the Ndebele, settler self-defence, the “white man’s burden,” and the racial mythology surrounding Great Zimbabwe. It shows how these narratives were not static ideological ornaments, but strategic responses to Indigenous resistance, imperial competition, economic interests, and crises of colonial rule. At the same time, the book confronts a broader theoretical question that remains strikingly contemporary: what happens when sovereignty escapes the limits of the state? Engaging thinkers from Hobbes and Weber to Gramsci and Arrighi, the book examines the chartered company as a political form that blurs the boundaries between corporation, empire, and government. Combining archival research with political and philosophical analysis, Sovereign Corporations offers a new perspective on colonial power, corporate sovereignty, and the enduring relationship between capitalism and empire.
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-1769192026-05-28T12:53:55Z Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company Paci, Bernardo Settler Colonialism, Sovereignty, Hegemony, Myths of Legitimation, Rhodesia thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHD European history In this book, the history of the British South Africa Company becomes a window into one of the central contradictions of modern empire: the transformation of a profit-driven corporation into a sovereign political power. Moving between intellectual history, political philosophy, and settler-colonial studies, the book reconstructs the myths through which the Company justified the conquest and governance of Rhodesia from the late nineteenth century onward. Drawing extensively on the Company’s own archives, reports, and propaganda, the book traces six major myths of legitimation: lawful occupation through treaties, the fight against the slave trade, the protection of the Shona from the Ndebele, settler self-defence, the “white man’s burden,” and the racial mythology surrounding Great Zimbabwe. It shows how these narratives were not static ideological ornaments, but strategic responses to Indigenous resistance, imperial competition, economic interests, and crises of colonial rule. At the same time, the book confronts a broader theoretical question that remains strikingly contemporary: what happens when sovereignty escapes the limits of the state? Engaging thinkers from Hobbes and Weber to Gramsci and Arrighi, the book examines the chartered company as a political form that blurs the boundaries between corporation, empire, and government. Combining archival research with political and philosophical analysis, Sovereign Corporations offers a new perspective on colonial power, corporate sovereignty, and the enduring relationship between capitalism and empire. Published In questo libro, la storia della British South Africa Company diventa una finestra su una delle contraddizioni centrali dell’impero moderno: la trasformazione di una corporation orientata al profitto in un potere politico sovrano. Muovendosi tra storia intellettuale, filosofia politica e studi sul colonialismo d’insediamento, il volume ricostruisce i miti attraverso cui la Compagnia giustificò la conquista e il governo della Rhodesia a partire dalla fine del XIX secolo. Attraverso un ampio utilizzo degli archivi, dei rapporti ufficiali e della propaganda prodotti dalla stessa Compagnia, il libro analizza sei principali miti di legittimazione: l’occupazione legittima fondata sui trattati, la lotta contro la tratta degli schiavi, la protezione degli Shona contro gli Ndebele, l’autodifesa dei coloni, il “fardello dell’uomo bianco” e la mitologia razziale legata a Grande Zimbabwe. Il volume mostra come queste narrazioni non fossero semplici ornamenti ideologici statici, ma risposte strategiche alla resistenza indigena, alla competizione imperiale, agli interessi economici e alle crisi del dominio coloniale. Allo stesso tempo, il libro affronta una questione teorica più ampia e ancora oggi di grande attualità: cosa accade quando la sovranità eccede i limiti dello Stato? Attraverso un confronto con autori che vanno da Hobbes e Weber fino a Gramsci e Arrighi, il volume esamina la compagnia concessionaria come una forma politica che confonde i confini tra corporation, impero e governo. Combinando ricerca archivistica e analisi politico-filosofica, Sovereign Corporations offre una nuova prospettiva sul potere coloniale, sulla sovranità corporativa e sul rapporto duraturo tra capitalismo e impero. 2026-05-28T12:53:52Z 2026-05-28T12:53:52Z 2026-05-28 book 978-88-6887-427-8 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/176919 eng Scuola delle Scienze Umane e Sociali. Quaderni image/jpeg n/a http://www.fedoabooks.unina.it/index.php/fedoapress/catalog/book/797 FedOA - Federico II University Press 10.6093/978-88-6887-427-8 In questo libro, la storia della British South Africa Company diventa una finestra su una delle contraddizioni centrali dell’impero moderno: la trasformazione di una corporation orientata al profitto in un potere politico sovrano. Muovendosi tra storia intellettuale, filosofia politica e studi sul colonialismo d’insediamento, il volume ricostruisce i miti attraverso cui la Compagnia giustificò la conquista e il governo della Rhodesia a partire dalla fine del XIX secolo. Attraverso un ampio utilizzo degli archivi, dei rapporti ufficiali e della propaganda prodotti dalla stessa Compagnia, il libro analizza sei principali miti di legittimazione: l’occupazione legittima fondata sui trattati, la lotta contro la tratta degli schiavi, la protezione degli Shona contro gli Ndebele, l’autodifesa dei coloni, il “fardello dell’uomo bianco” e la mitologia razziale legata a Grande Zimbabwe. Il volume mostra come queste narrazioni non fossero semplici ornamenti ideologici statici, ma risposte strategiche alla resistenza indigena, alla competizione imperiale, agli interessi economici e alle crisi del dominio coloniale. Allo stesso tempo, il libro affronta una questione teorica più ampia e ancora oggi di grande attualità: cosa accade quando la sovranità eccede i limiti dello Stato? Attraverso un confronto con autori che vanno da Hobbes e Weber fino a Gramsci e Arrighi, il volume esamina la compagnia concessionaria come una forma politica che confonde i confini tra corporation, impero e governo. Combinando ricerca archivistica e analisi politico-filosofica, Sovereign Corporations offre una nuova prospettiva sul potere coloniale, sulla sovranità corporativa e sul rapporto duraturo tra capitalismo e impero. 10.6093/978-88-6887-427-8 725b3cbf-52ac-4597-b597-c9b6ee3fc903 978-88-6887-427-8 44 163 Naples open access
spellingShingle Settler Colonialism, Sovereignty, Hegemony, Myths of Legitimation, Rhodesia
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHD European history
Paci, Bernardo
Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title_full Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title_fullStr Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title_full_unstemmed Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title_short Sovereign Corporations : Intellectual History and Political Philosophy of the British South Africa Company
title_sort sovereign corporations intellectual history and political philosophy of the british south africa company
topic Settler Colonialism, Sovereignty, Hegemony, Myths of Legitimation, Rhodesia
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHD European history
topic_facet Settler Colonialism, Sovereignty, Hegemony, Myths of Legitimation, Rhodesia
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHD European history
url https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/176919
work_keys_str_mv AT pacibernardo sovereigncorporationsintellectualhistoryandpoliticalphilosophyofthebritishsouthafricacompany