International History: Conquests And Cultures: An

Sowell’s most provocative thesis is that conquest often acts as a massive, albeit brutal, transfer of —the skills, knowledge, and social habits that drive a society.

Sowell concludes that the breakup of empires rarely restores the pre-conquest world. The real question is not how to view history morally, but what options exist in a world where cultures have already been "irretrievably changed" by the interactions of the past. Conquests and Cultures: An International History

From being conquered by Romans and Normans to building the world’s largest empire. Sowell’s most provocative thesis is that conquest often

Sowell pointedly avoids moralizing, choosing instead to focus on . transfer of —the skills

Britain was once a "backward" Roman province. Roman rule, however, left behind a legacy of law and infrastructure that laid the groundwork for Britain's later rise to global dominance.