By Priya Satia, PhD, a Stanford History teacher, the details documented in this book are mind numbing. It is, as a documentary of historical fact, an outstanding, detailed piece of history. Aside from the fact where she starts with one of her own ancestors shooting (and regretfully) and killing a relative, she states her ancestor was changed (corrupted?) by the (hand) gun.
The tactics employed by the English Crown to ensure a steady supply of arms for their wars (the violence), was to fragment the (government) contracting. Something being done to this day in all "civilized" countries - USA included.
Aside from her discourse on her ancestor being changed by the gun, that is about the end of it in regards to politics. It IS an excellent discourse of the history of British gun making, population control and how gun making grew up concurrently with the industrial revolution, sometimes driving it, sometimes benefitting from it. She gives excellent examples of warfare but seems somewhat puzzled at how the firearm was used (not used) during that period of history she writes about. She does write and hints at the cultural differences between colonists and the Native Americans, concept of property rights and the defense of same even noting hardly justifiable uses of firearms and the complete assumption of power in their use and applications, not always in a just and prudent manner. Kind of like today.
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