Should we be proud of the British Empire?

Question

I also have a history project in for tuesday. Please help!!!!!

Should we be proud of the British Empire 1750-1900

Answer 1

I'm a Yank, and I'm proud of the British empire, even though we had our differences long ago, they still have such a HEAVY influence on American culture, they are our closest friend, most of our system is set up to work like theirs does.

Answer 2

I don;t see why you shouldn't be proud of the British empire, like everything else in the world, it has been the result of history making history, and there is nothing yo can do now to stop or change it from occuring again.

As for your history project, it doesn't do much good for help if you don't explain slightly what it is about, sorry.

Answer 3

The British empire was a very impressive thing in it's day. Certainly worthy of some pride. For a small island nation to become the major world power took a lot of hard work and some extraordinary people.

However, like all empires, it was not built without cost. The British empire did not treat native populations very well, and were known to put down rebellions with ruthless efficiency. Still, as far as empires go it was relatively benign.

Answer 4

Of course we should be proud of the British Empire.

In a time of kill or be killed it would have been easy to just go for gold. But the British Empire settled and civilised huge portions of the world. They allowed free thinking and that led to the very people who made America and who wrote the constitution for free people for all time. They did some tough stuff along the way, but if they did not then we would still have the pirates in control.

So, yes, we have every reason to be proud of people who fought long and hard to help civilise and promote the modern christian free world.

Answer 5

Yes. But it is important not to judge the Empire by today's politically correct standards.

The biggest plus is that it gave the colonies the English language and, in so doing, helped break down the evils of tribalism.

Most countries in the empire are now dictatorships....this is something to reflect on.

The good includes building roads and railways; the introduction of modern agricultural methods; stopping the thugs, wife burning and the religious prejudice in India; stopping Communism in Malaya; bringing the advantages of the 19th & 20th centuries to underdeveloped countries.

The bad includes the opium wars; giving freedom to countries with insufficient political infrastructure to avoid dictators; forcing the colonies to buy British; not helping people to get beyond subsistance farming; not controlling India's independence properly resulting in mass killings; not expelling dictatorships from the Commonwealth; Allowing aparteitht (sp?) to start in South Africa.


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Answer 6

it was a brutal and iron fisted empire that often murdered and terroised the native people of occupied lands to hold control over trade routes and natural resources. but on the upside
it also brought into existence a lot of the modern democracys, canada, australia, new zealand and the states. but there occupation of these lands was very harsh on native people, ie Ireland, india, and south africa, well as the very harsh treatment of native people of australia and the new world.

so it is something that you cant be nostalgic about the facts are not always always as wonderful as you would believe.

but it was not all bad. that's just the way empire's work.
Nobody ever bulit a Empire by been nice to people.

Answer 7

I suppose one could be proud, as long as one acknowledges that there have been some things done that shouldn't have been done.

Personally, I think that one can only be "proud" of something by actively trying to improve on it ro what has come of it. pride is not a passive quality.

Answer 8

Yes we should. I'm a firm monarchist and felt really proud of the queen this week giving her speeches in America.

I don't live in London but took my son their recently and was so proud of our history and of who we are - I loved showing him Buckingham Palace, Westminster etc.

Answer 9

check out these pgs

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=proud+of+british+empire

Answer 10

for their establishments and making this country a single.