Overview

This book charts the story of the raw material that shaped the world's history in the twentieth century, and with it the development of modern Britain. Ranging from the first explorations, through oil-fuelled wars and environmental crises, this book examines the strategic, economic and social importance of oil. Until the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s, Britain had virtually no known oil reserves yet by the early twentieth century British companies were producing oil across the Middle East, Russia and America. How did that happen and why have British companies remained internationally important ever since? How have British domestic and foreign policies been dictated by oil? And how have the government and oil companies reacted to the growing importance of environmental issues? From Suez and the 1973 Arab oil embargo to the wrecking of the Torrey Canyon and climate change, this is a comprehensive survey of modern Britain, oil and world history.

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9781847250438

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Summary, Petroleum Review. Friday, 1 May 2009.

Charles More's Black Gold is a timely study of an important topic: Britain's twentieth-century relationship with the oil industry...More begins at the beginning, at the early-twentieth-century apogee (but imminent decline) of the British empire; and its subject is the impact of Britain on oil as well as the impact of oil on Britain...More has constructed a coherent story from company histories, a variety of other secondary sources, and original research.--,

Author Information

Charles More has published widely on twentieth century British political, social and economic history. His books include Britain in the Twentieth Century and The Industrial Age: Economy and Society in Britain 1750-1995. He is married and lives in Cheltenham.

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