When are the British going to apologize for subjugating half of the world's population in their former empire?

Question

doublestandards.org/britishempire

The same rationality as Iraq, we're going to save them. The British brought slavery, racial hatred and war,and it is not gone. History repeats itself. If you can refute this, state your source.

Answer 1

they aren't going to apologize, they'll just drive the same ideology in a different direction.
do a little research on Gandi(heck watch the movie if you don't like to read), and ask yourself are their still repercussions of those actions that we are still feeling today?

if they are soo civilized, and society has become so much more civilized, than how come the same tactics are still being used against non-violent dissenters?

Answer 2

If you were to ask many of those countries affected then maybe you would look at it a bit differently. The British commonwealth is actually a grouping of those countries and I hardly feel they would be members of it otherwise.

I do agree however that Britain has a major responsibilty for the way it left many of these former countries with arbitrarily drawn borders that, as we can see today, are a major cause of world conflict.

However the same responsibility lies with many other western European countries aswell (no excuse i know).

I feel however that the best thing is to look to the future. In this case I feel we should prevent the highly unethical buildup of todays new financial empires. And try to prevent the worlds only super power from abusing its priviledged position by unethicaly supporting these companies by politacal and agressive methods!

Answer 3

Apologies are nice and can build bridges but I am also suspicious of peoples motioves for apologies.
Today all the culprits are all dead now... should the chidren be responsible for the crimes of their grandparents? The German youth of today can hardly be expected to be responsible for the Holocaust. When you talk to them about it they feel ashamed, but say lets get on with life. The German and Swiss banks state is paying reperations against Jewish survivors, only because of the financial, political and legal strength of survivors who can leverage US sanctions. I doubt gypsies survivors are getting their fair share of retribution.
The trouble is the strongest define the rules, history and moraility. Today it is Americans, it used to be British, before the Catholic church, before that the Roman Empire. All have committed crimes against humanity, but then if it was not them someone else would have. If you see things as a bigger picture, there is a trend towards democratisation. In the end despite the obvious abuses, the long term trend is away from subjugation and poverty towards empowering the population.
It is usually the loser that end up apologising to the victors. Tony Blair did apologise about Britain's role in not supporting the Irish during the poatato famine. However the strongest Irish community are now influential Americans upon whom Britain relies on for business and trade, so was this such a heartfelt apology?
Pope John-Paul apologised to the Orthodox church for its "crimes" against it in the past, as it sees Eastern Europe as ripe for expansion.
Apolgies can be seen to go hand in hand with financial compensation, so few governments are willing to leave themselves liable.
The apology that I see with the least scepticism is the peace and reconcilliation committee in South Africa. These people have to keep living together and so these problems need to be solved, but getting people to admit to their misdeeds and thereby allow the victims feel vindicated, even if the offenders are not jailed.
Lets understand we all need to live together and work as a single family of man, nationalism breeds xenophobia and intolerance. Britain should drop the pride associated with empire and this will allow its citizens to be better citizens of the world.

Answer 4

NEVER. THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO AND THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE ARE LONG DEAD. THE SO CALLED SUBJUGATED ARE ALSO LONG GONE. THE PAST IS THE PAST AND THE FUTURE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON. WE IN THE USA DON'T STRESS THE FACT THAT WE WERE ONCE SUBJUGATED BY THE BRITISH. AS A MATTER OF FACT IT LED TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE TODAY. INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR AN APOLOGY YOU SHOULD BE THANKING THE BRITS FOR MAKING HALF THE WORLD CIVILIZED. THEY SPREAD CIVILIZATIONS ALONG WITH YOUR SO CALLED SUBJUGATING.

Answer 5

Do they need to? History is history. Every single country has done wrong. If they apologize and you don't accept it with an open heart, then why do the need to apologize?

Answer 6

Look at the never subjugated neighbors, are they better off?

Answer 7

They should feel lucky they were touched by civilisation! Britain brought it's seeds of success to every nation it touched and every country felt the cold shoulder of reality when they were abandoned by her.

Answer 8

Yeah we taught them all the sports and now they thrash us at them......

Answer 9

why should they apologize? they gave them civilization and technology.