I answerd a question recently about how the world would be a better place if England had kept their Empire?

Question

And how it all seems to have gone bad for the countries we granted independance to.

Well, seeing as how the US was founded by us (that's us not US), do you see my point?

Arch0049.

It's 'Tails' not 'Tales'.

You see my point?

Answer 1

A True Brit my friend

Answer 2

England screwed up royally when it simply gave up the Dardanelles around 1880. That was probably the biggest military blunder in modern history. The British populace was tired of financing it, and Disraeli just gave it up. That was really the beginning of the end of the British Empire. It uncorked the Russians into the Mediterranean and drove the Turks into the German political camp. By 1922, the thousand year old Ottoman Empire was gone, the whole of Europe had changed, and the Middle East had been reorganized by England and France into the political disaster zone it remains to this day. And the funny thing is, those damned Yankees didn't have a thing to do with it. If you're really into the history of it, read a book called "A Peace to End All Peace."

Answer 3

This tiny, tiny country in the middle of nowhere has given so much to the world it is difficult to know where to start.

The second most populated country in the world, India, has a railway, legal system and civil service that only exist because of colonialism. Africa came from being the dark continent to something approaching a proper load of countries, only to drift back to barbarism at the end of Empire.

The USA was undoubtedly started off by the British and owes its existence to what we did. Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Canada also have almost exclusively British roots - Her Majesty the Queen is still head of state in 3 of them, and look how far away they are. The USA still has its fiercest enemy almost on its doorstep - Cuba.

Of course the USA is, and has been from almost the beginning, a huge melting pot. Is that a good thing? Maybe, maybe not. Crime is horrendous, their military interventions in major conflicts since WWII have been disastrous - Korea, Vietnam and Iraq - and, in fact, they must be the most hated Western country in the world. The most powerful, with the largest economy, but internationally a shambles, with a population so isolationist that only 10% of its citizens have a passport.

India has succeeded by retaining the Empirical values, most valuably of democracy. Most of the other former Empire countries, notably in Africa, have turned their back on democracy and are riddled with corruption. They would certainly benefit from British values if not British rule.

For whoever said the UK is a joke - look at a globe and the size of Britain and compare it to the USA. Then realise that we are STILL the 4th largest economy in the world. How big a joke is that? And, from this tiny island, we dominated the world culturally and militarily for over 2 centuries. How funny is that?

Answer 4

Read Empire by Niall Fergusson - it contains an informative account of the founding of the empire and the benefits it brought to britain and the colonised countries as well as the disadvantages of imposing one way of life on the rest of the world

Answer 5

Pax Brittanica was a great stabilising force in the world. The Americans seem to be trying to do the same but making the the mistake of selling their future enemies weapons. Hurrah for capitalism and the free market economy.

Answer 6

Hey Arch0049 - don't you get it, quite a number of people over here in Europe can speak German and English and French and ...... - get the picture? In case not, it's called education and the fact that people look outwards at this whole world, not just inwards.

Answer 7

there was law and order,education,language,medicine and employment.
Contrary to ignorant opinion,britain did not murder,rape,pillage and enslave in our empire.
The testament to our reign of the colonies is the fact that all these countries maintained a commonwealth connection long after Independence.
Unfortunately,you are correct,most former empire nations have dissolved into chaos ,poverty and war.many of them are back in the stoneage.
Even more unfortunate ,we still have people following the idiotic line of the misinformed apologists who like to blame all the worlds ills on the empire.

God Bless Victoria.

Answer 8

When was the USA the USA and not just "The Colonies" anymore? My point is this- When The Colonies were lost, to whom were they lost to? The ex-pat British drove THEMSELVES from direct rule! THEN founded the imaginatively titled United States of America.

And now look!

Answer 9

If America wasn't granted its independence, you bet the American colonies would still have the 13 original chartered colonies and we probably be known as "New England" as a whole.

Answer 10

arch0049 was that really needed. what a ****. for one we didn't need you to win wwII for us we were doing a perfectly good job of winning ourselves. why also the anti british **** because one idiot came out with a stupid comment? childish really isn't it?

Answer 11

Founded by you? GRANTED OUR INDEPENDENCE.

WE MOPPED YOUR AZZES UP and sent your grandfathers and their tea sipping sluht wives back home with their tales between their legs.

Umm, come to America and look around. Even when the US won its independence from you, it was a melting pot. There are towns all across this land named after Indians, French, Germans, Dutch, Spanish and British people, places and events.

If you think you Brits have anything over us, you are fooled.

You should be thanking the US and Russians, otherwise you would probably speaking German right now - or ironing the Italians clothes.

The UK is a joke. I mean we are dumb. BUT YOU ACTUALLY FOLLOWED US INTO IRAQ.

I mean c'mon. Its one thing to be the class idiot who starts a fight he can't win. But, its another thing to be the kid who carries his book bag...


Silly Brits.