Fatal Empires

“Fatal Empires” tells the story of a Russian scientist sent in the 19th century to “validate” his country’s “right” to claim an island as part of its empire because he had spent a year there (that was an agreement among the European big powers). But Maklin grew to love the people whose land he was supposed to help annex. Then he had problems in the British colony Queensland because of his anti-racist stance. The story gives us a broad picture of life at the heyday of colonialism.