Ferguson's argument in this book mirrors much of his argument in his other work, Colossus. He argues that the British Empire served as a conduit for many benefits to the territories it ruled, including promotion of western government, western economic principles, and religion. He argues that these benefits likely would not have occurred without the rule of the British Empire. However, he does not skirt over the abuses of the Empire. In fact, he details many atrocities committed by the British in their attempt to assert global hegemony.

His arguments may appear to be overly simplistic, and perhaps, that is a necessary consequence of writing a one volume narrative on the entire history of the British Empire. For instance, equating a Sudanese Muslim leader in the 1880s who had taken the name of "Mahdi" with modern day Wahabbist Islamic leaders appears to be fundamentally illogical. How could a person who took a Shi'ite Muslim name be equated with a religious group (Wahhabis), when that religious group believes Shi'ite Muslims to be apostates.