History Defended: Biggar on Cecil Rhodes and Empire

Oriel College's statue of Cecil Rhodes has become a lightning-rod in the debate about Britain's colonial past. But the complexities of the man and his activities in South Africa are often reduced to crude hyperbole and absurd analogy. The Telegraph has recently posted Steven Edginton's interview of Nigel Biggar, in which they explore Rhodes' life and work in South Africa, the wider historical context, and his driving motives, tackling head-on the main charges levelled against him.

Watch the History Defended interview and read the corresponding article through the following link: Cecil Rhodes: Hero or villain? 

Image credit: "Cecil Rhodes" by FlickrDelusions is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.