The British Empire was crap...don't you think?

Question

It seems like brits only have what their country did that they consider "great", to fall back on. They seem to be proud that their ancestors' government officials decided it would be good to go to other lands and rape, enslave and torture the original natives of the land.

Answer 1

ah yes, more hate the white folks PC stuff.

The Brits civilized the world, if you want to moan about people who "raped the world" look to the dutch

Answer 2

Is this anti-Brit day on here? First a question suggesting that only Indians know how to make jewellery and that we Brits stole it all from them. Now this. The British Empire was once described (by a Brit) as 'outdoor relief(i.e. welfare) for the younger sons of the aristocracy'. There is no evidence of any widespread rape the 'original natives'. In fact, the Brits were punctilious in their dealings with the inhabitants of countries of the Empire. I agree, they tended to look upon them as 'children' to be 'educated' I also agree that we Brits took part in the slave trade - but we were the first nation to ban the trade - and furthermore slavery was practised in countries that became part of the Empire long before that happened. Africans enslaved members of other tribes and sold them to Arab slave traders long before they ever reached the coast. Before the Brits ruled India 'suti', or the habit of widows throwing themselves alive on their husbands funeral pyre, and the killing of girl babies because it would be too expensive to provide a dowry were widespread practices. The 'government officials' you refer to often left the UK for tears on end, in many cases not seeing their children after the age of 6 or 7 for 20 or 30 years at a time (read 'The Ruling Caste' by David Gilmour if you don't believe me). The Indian Civil Service was such a good organisation that on independence its structures and organisation was adopted almost entirely by the Indian Administrative Service. Other answers have referred to the infrastructure - roads, railways, irrigation canals - that were built.

Whilst no country has the right to rule another against the wishes of the natural inhabitants, sadly it was the way things were done, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. Great Britain at least had the sense to see that the Empire could not exist in the changed world of the second half of the 20th century and withdrew (more or less) gracefully. Yes, mistakes were made during the Empire - but who doesn't make mistakes? At least, having regard to what happened in the Belgium Congo, it was better to be ruled by the Brits as by anyone. The further the Empire recedes into the past, the further I think it wll be seen as a 'good thing' in balance.

Answer 3

The part played by the British Empire in the slave trade, is regularly mentioned, but the part played by the Empire in its abolition is rarely mentioned – in 1772 a judgement decreed that slavery could not be enforced in England – from the beginning of the 19th century slavery was illegal throughout the Empire and the Royal Navy (the most powerful naval force in the world for the whole century) was tasked with preventing it worldwide no matter which nation's ships were carrying slaves.

Answer 4

Like the Europeans did to the Native Americans in what is now the United States?

Answer 5

That's probably the most negative way you can view it.

They built nations. They taught, fed, and helped heal millions of people. Their culture and language still is the most important in the world (since US culture is just a break-off of theirs).

Their empire was the most just and fair one that has existed.

Unfortunately, the movement toward attacking the white Europeans that currently rules popular history had slandered the good work the British Empire.

Just think, its the only empire that had broken up of their own accord and with peace.

Answer 6

I suppose that's one point of view. But to follow that, you'd have to argue that no nation should ever be wealthier or more powerful than another. It's an argument, but it would fly in the face of history. All nations have sought advantage over others, and that is certainly still continuing today. As empires go, the British were not without their flaws, but they were certainly better than most.

Answer 7

I think you're confusing it with the Spanish Empire.

Without the British exporting alot of what came from their own country the world would be a hell of a lot different than it is, and not in a particularly good way.

Besides if you're American you can thank the British for the life you have now and your language,otherwise you'd be typing this in French.

Answer 8

Well let's see. The British Empire brought civilization and democracy to major portions of the world. The Brits helped stamp out malaria, cholera, hunger and internecine warfare everywhere they went. They built road systems and communication networks. I think Great pretty well fits.

Answer 9

is this the opinion of a native american...? or one that kills and tortures innocent people for oil? maybe rather than harping on about the past, we should ask an Iraqi child about the land of opportunity?

Answer 10

enslavemeant, well the fact is that when the british came to africa, it was the tribal leaders that sold the black people to the british in return for gunpowder and gun etc so that they could fight and wipe out there own enimies in there land.