Why british ruled most of the world?

Question

What was the fact how they ruled in so many counties.how they make it possibel.and how they manage that? Why not other country ruled like them?

Answer 1

Indeed the British Empire was the largest in history of humankind. (and not the Spanish one as in a previous answer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empires
"The British Empire was the most extensive empire in world history and for a substantial time was not only a major power but also the foremost power in the world. It was a product of the European age of discovery, which began with the global maritime explorations of the Iberian states in the late 15th century, that inaugurated the era of the European global empires" (wikipedia)
It was possible because the England was an insular and mercantile society with a very developed commercial army navy, based on profit and common sense; the organisation and the rule of the colonies were based on the ambitious and the gifted English (and Scotish) middle class.
"The growth of the British Empire was due in large part to the ongoing competition for resources and markets which existed over a period of centuries between England and her Continental rivals, Spain, France, and Holland. During the reign of Elizabeth I, England set up trading companies in Turkey, Russia, and the East Indies, explored the coast of North America, and established colonies there. In the early seventeenth century those colonies were expanded and the systematic colonization of Ulster in Ireland got underway.

"The first British Empire was a mercantile one. Under both the Stuarts and Cromwell, the mercantilist outlines of further colonization and Empire-building became more and more apparent. Until the early nineteenth century, the primary purpose of Imperialist policies was to facilitate the acquisition of as much foreign territory as possible, both as a source of raw materials and in order to provide real or potential markets for British manufactures. The mercantilists advocated in theory, and sought in practice, trade monopolies which would insure that Britain's exports would exceed its imports. A profitable balance of trade, it was believed, would provide the wealth necessary to maintain and expand the empire"(David Cody)
IMO the succes of the English relatively to other colonial empires of his time was due to the following factors:
mercantilism
pragmatism
technology
a large pool of gifted, ambitious and hard-working
bourgeoisie and poor nobility that were ready to travel far and change their life
a splendid cooperation between commercial, military and government interests and individuals
The only Empire that had similar qualities was the Dutch Colonialist Empire, but they started late due to their fight to liberate themselves from the Spanish Empire.
The other Empires (Spain, France, Portugal...) were dominated by a noble and military rulling class with no mercantile ideology and the middle class (the bourgeoisie) had no role in the admistration of the colonies. England was then a capitalist democratic and constitutional monarchy (for the period) country and all the other Empires (Spain, France, Portugal...) were totalitarian monarchies with a dominating and perimated nobility.

Answer 2

At its peak, the British Empire covered about 25% of the world's land surface. We have never ruled the world but we were the Superpower fom about the 1750s until the end of WW2 (when the money ran out!) But we were pushing the French and Spanish around for a couple of hundred years before that e g Spanish Armada (1588).

Answer 3

Because are they inbred hard asses.
Answer:
Technological advances and resources conducive for maritime conquests during the exploratory period of the planet.
A island nation = more ship with manpower and technology then anyone else.
Iron and coal resources in Wales to make steel for the war machine.
Over population for manpower, expansion and for settlements on foreign lands.

Answer 4

spain had a lot bigger chunk of the world than england did. they both gained the land by running through and dominating the native populations. they lost it because they spread their dominance too thin. when you are thousands of miles away from the land you are trying to rule its next to impossible to establish your authority and it is really expensive. spain pretty much bankrupted itself with colonizing the americas. they were somewhat successful with stealing gold and things from the natives but then came the pirates to steal the stolen goods. and spain went under.

Answer 5

Scientific discoveries and inventions.

Answer 6

they had a powerful navy to begin with. good question though i dont know the rest

Answer 7

they had the large empire