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An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire

arundhati roy

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Just in time for the elections, Arundhati Roy offers us this lucid briefing on what the Bush administration really means when it talks about “compassionate conservativism” and “the war on terror.” Roy has characteristic fun in these essays, skewering the hypocrisy of the more-democratic-than-thou clan. But above all, she aims to remind us that we hold the essence of power and the foundation of genuine democracy—the power of the people to counter their self-appointed leaders’ tyranny.

First delivered as fiery speeches to sold-out crowds, together these essays are a call to arms against “the apocalyptic apparatus of the American empire.” Focusing on the disastrous US occupation of Iraq, Roy urges us to recognize—and apply—the scope of our power, exhorting US dockworkers to refuse to load materials war-bound, reservists to reject their call-ups, activists to organize boycotts of Halliburton, and citizens of other nations to collectively resist being deputized as janitor-soldiers to clear away the detritus of the US invasion.

Roy’s Guide to Empire also offers us sharp theoretical tools for understanding the New American Empire—a dangerous paradigm, Roy argues here, that is entirely distinct from the imperialism of the British or even the New World Order of George Bush, the elder. She examines how resistance movements build power, using examples of nonviolent organizing in South Africa, India, and the United States. Deftly drawing the thread through ostensibly disconnected issues and arenas, Roy pays particular attention to the parallels between globalization in India, the devastation in Iraq, and the deplorable conditions many African Americans, in particular, must still confront.

With Roy as our “guide,” we may not be able to relax from the Sisyphean task of stopping the U.S. juggernaut, but at least we are assured that the struggle for global justice is fortified by Roy’s hard-edged brilliance.

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,2003

This edition

Format
156 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 2004 by South End
ISBN
9780896087279
ASIN
0896087271
Language
English

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arundhati roy

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Rating(3.9 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
MrFail
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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An excellent book contains speeches & essays by author, activist & novelist Arundhati Roy written in between 2000 & 2005 probably. As usual she has written / spoken on excessive of state against the people with tactical support of media. On America's so called war in Iraq & Afghanistan & its duplicity. She has also written on how Martin's US, Mahatma's India & Mandela's South Africa betrayed their people.
Small but comprehensive book.
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Danilordzz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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"For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is wrenched out by the aching, broken world I wake up to every morning." the celebrated author of The God of Small Things States So.
An Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire is a well constructed essay collection written between 2002 and 2004 — most of them from those published in newspapers.

Roy reveals her passion for writing through 14 chapters. She dissects the situation at Iraq and the Middle East and about those who struggles for their daily bread and existence in their mother land. The satirical writing makes the book an interesting piece. Even then a frustrated Writer pops up through out the book.

Roy illustrates the power of common man thus, motivating them to speak out and act for their human rights. “History is giving you the chance,” she writes.

Come September is my favorite among 14.








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Noura
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Really good read. It's focused on the early 2000s "War on Terror" era of neoliberal imperialism. It's helpful to remember that time. I also appreciated how this book bridged from theories of resistance to specific tactics.
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zkl
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Interesting, anti-imperialist, standing up for the ordinary people of the world.
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Mr_Mir
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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The book is compilation of articles written by Arundhati roy in 2002-2004. It's a chilling & eye-opening account of the struggle of people against "empire"(cartel of self interested corporate organizations & power hungry "pro-development" governments). How the other side of story of this struggle is continuously being repressed by continuous show of empire-side stories by "fair" media lead my same people against whom this resistance is waged in the fist place!

It's a good read for anyone who would like to listen to arguments against neo-liberalism & coporatization at the cost of brutal exploitation of common people's basic human rights & sense of justice/fairness. The book particularly illustrates this at length by the examples of horrors unleashed by an illegal US-invasion of Iraq & Afghanistan & construction of massive dams in India without proper rehabilitation & compensation for displaced people.
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iorime
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Good for helping us understand how deeply a few things are flawed
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KayeChii
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 26,2025
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Her analysis is so easy to read and beautifully written, and I found the book informative. These essays are a couple years old and while addressing international issues, are certainly India focused- so the downside was my rudimentary knowledge of contemporary Indian politics. I learned alot from it, but definatley didn't get it all....
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