Articles by Christopher de Bellaigue

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The Pillage of India
Christopher de Bellaigue | New York Review of Books - TRANSCEND Media Service, 8 Jun 2020

11 Jun 2020 issue – The company was transformed into an instrument of imperialism under Robert Clive, a terse, pugnacious delinquent from Shropshire. After arriving in Madras as a writer in 1744, Clive distinguished himself on the battlefield, making up in daring what he lacked in experience. In 1752 he and a fellow officer led a company force that took prisoner almost three thousand troops from the Compagnie des Indes, for which he was rewarded with a lucrative sinecure.

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The Sultan of Turkey
Christopher de Bellaigue – New York Review of Books, 7 Dec 2015

Erdoğan’s reading of the electorate has been masterful, but he lacks the magnanimity that is essential for effective leadership. His pugnacity and lack of judgment suggest a paranoid character. The president’s version of democracy is a numbers game, in which the majority wins the right to crush the minority.

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Iran Nuclear Talks: Why Tehran Must Be Brought In from the Cold
Christopher de Bellaigue – The Guardian, 6 Oct 2014

A deal with Iran is vital for the stability of the wider Middle East. The opportunity must be grasped.

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