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What do you like about the former British Empire?

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Reply 40

im me

That they lost to America twice

Reply 41

no chance

Original post by the greatest

Another thing being I liked was the fact and the main reason was they way they taught their colonies English, as it certainly has benefited these nations such as South africa, Zimbabwe, Guyana and even the Sub continent!

Because these countries are currently thriving.

Reply 42

No Man

Original post by no chance

Because these countries are currently thriving.

Well the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are at least.

Reply 43

no chance

Original post by No Man

Well the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are at least.

Which were mainly settlements, rather than colonies, despite the nomenclature.

Reply 44

Dunc1

The navy..

Spoiler

The "former" bit

Original post by rajandkwameali

Nothing, expect the fact that India will become a more powerful country soon, despite the UK ruling it for hundreds of years lol.

I am curious, is your definition of "hundreds" 150?
For all the bad about the British Empire, from white man's burden to the plundering of various countries, the one admirable quality it had was its ability to find and then exploit divisions between people to profit from it, be it in the form of military conquest or economic benefit.

Reply 47

the greatest

Original post by no chance

Because these countries are currently thriving.

Are you trying to suggest that British intervention was a bad thing as opposed to them not being there at all???

Yes I agree that the idea is terrible, trying to take over colonies, but it has benefited places Like India and South Africa quite well dare I say! Also bear in mind i forgot to mention places like New Zealand, Australia and Canada which certainly benefited from the British!

Curry.

Original post by ExcessNeo

By more powerful you mean you are going to cut off call centres bringing our country to its knees?

There's a reason why the UK government went BEGGING to India for more trade - and it isn't call centres.

The UK economy is now obsolete and is now having to plead with BRIC nations to even try and do some business. Shame even India snubbed them too...

Reply 50

FyreFight

That they brought the concepts of liberalism and freedom to the world.

That they outlawed slavery long before any other practicing power, and then rigorously enforced that ban across the world, despite immense economic and militaristic (mostly naval) cost to the country.

They they advanced the culture, technology and ruling framework of many of its colonies by centuries, if not millenia.

That it spurred the industrial revolution, kickstarting an economic overhaul that would eventually lead to the comparatively luxurious lives most of the world's citizens live in today.

That, despite its ills and detractors, it was a net positive for both its citizens and humanity as a whole, that has echoes that live on until today.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 51

manchild007

Original post by RyanT

Says more about India then the UK doesn't it?

Not really - for me it just shows the rapid and pitiful decine of the British Empire, the UK is playing second/third fiddle just in EU, let alone its diminished/non-existent standing on the world stage.

Reply 52

The_Internet

Is no one going to mention the invention of the railway? I also like the fact that Pakistani humour has stemmed from British humour( ie: we take the mick out of ourselves too), so it means that Pakistani's can relate to British humour quite easily. They now need to develop some wittiness

Reply 53

Joluk

That it gave rise to the film Zulu, best frigging film ever.

Reply 54

Medifield

I didn't like much. How could you like people who used to be power hungry and dominating?

That's a point: tea.

Nothing. This equates to a German asking others what they liked about Nazi Germany and its achievements in conquering the European continent. The British empire and the ideology behind it, NAKED chauvinist nationalism, was immoral and retrospectively a crime against humanity. You can't dress it up any other way. People were enslaved, deprived of fundamental freedoms, murdered, torn apart, conquered and their way of lives crushed.

Reply 57

paddyman4

The British Empire required a massive navy, and this led to total naval supremacy. This in turn stopped Britain from being conquered by Napoleon, and allowed Britain to help stop and undo the aggressive Napoleonic expansion. This British naval supremacy continued into the 21st Century and was key in both World Wars (as was the wealth and power that came from or for the Empire), and additionally British overseas territories played parts in the World Wars.

Off the top of my head, British military presence in Canada prevented the USA taking all of North America in 1812, so Canada's independent existence is owed to the British Empire.

I'm sure there were more benefits. No big global empire is nice but I think the world is generally better off than if the Empire had never existed.

Reply 58

The_Internet

You may not like Nazi Germany(I don't either) but you can admire Germany at the time for these facts ie: the fact that they were more scientifically advanced and the fact that they were further ahead with rights to women. Lots of Germans went to the US to work for aircraft companies as they had some of the best aircraft in WW2