The East as a Career: From Imperial History to Modern Private Equity

James Mill, who never set foot in India, codified this dynamic in 1817. By authoring a definitive history of a subcontinent he knew only through imperial archives, he transformed academic distance into institutional authority. The East India Company rewarded his expertise with a prominent position, proving that knowledge could be directly converted into a lifelong, high-paying career. His son, John Stuart Mill, later reconciled this imperial service with liberal philosophy by creating a hierarchical framework that effectively excluded colonized peoples from the protections of liberty.

Today, the mechanisms have evolved from parliamentary proceedings to private equity, yet the underlying structure remains. Jared Kushner’s transition from a senior White House adviser to the head of Affinity Partners illustrates the contemporary convergence of public access and private capital. With the firm securing billions in assets from Gulf sovereign wealth funds, the US Senate Finance Committee has raised pointed questions regarding the potential overlap between diplomatic history and financial gain. While these relationships are framed as strategic partnerships, they mirror the older, uncomfortable reality where the region is treated as an investment asset rather than a home to millions. In both centuries, the defining feature of this career path is the disappearance of the people themselves, who are reduced to files, security risks, or balance sheet entries in the pursuit of power.