From the Edge of Empire

Born into the fading twilight of the British Empire in Rhodesia,Ian Hume grew up in a world of sunlit farms, racial division, political uncertainty,and gathering revolution. What began as an idyllic childhood in colonial Africawould soon collide with the realities of war, nationalism, and the collapse of whiteminority rule. From those turbulent beginnings emerged a remarkable journey of reinvention,intellect, and global influence.From the Edge of Empire is an extraordinary memoir thatspans continents, ideologies, and historic transformations. Leaving school earlyto join the Rhodesian Federal Army, Hume was commissioned at Britains Royal MilitaryAcademy Sandhurst before eventually finding his way to the University of Cape Townand Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in economics. Recruited to theWorld Bank in 1969, he went on to become a pioneering economist and senior executiveduring some of the most consequential political and economic transitions of thetwentieth century.Along the way, Hume became the World Banks first economist tostudy labor migration in Europe, helped pioneer the use of the Gini Ratio to measureincome inequality, led the Banks first mission to Hungary, and later directed traumaticinstitutional restructuring within the Bankitself during a period of major downsizing. He served at the center of post-communistreform in Poland, witnessing and assisting firsthand the transformation from socialismto market economies in Eastern Europe while regretting the opposite transition inhis homeland as Rhodesias market economy collapsed into modern socialist Zimbabwe.Yet this memoir is far more than a distinguished professionalhistory. At its heart lies a deeply personal story about family, courage, education,and moral independence. Hume writes openly about the contradictions of colonialAfrica, the failures of political extremism on all sides, and the lifelong searchfor moral clarity in a world dominated by ideology, self-interest and group-think.Rich in historical insight, emotional honesty, humor, and unforgettablecharacters, From the Edge of Empire offers readers a rare firsthand accountof twentieth-century history as lived from the inside. It is a powerful memoir foranyone interested in African history, political change, economic development, leadership,resilience, and the enduring human capacity to adapt, persevere, and build a meaningfullife against overwhelming odds.