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Legacy of the British Empire
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:25 am
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:25 am
"The sun never sets on the British Empire"
I've been reading up on the 19th century British empire and through WW2. It seems a very mixed bag of good and bad. Im curious as to how others view the empire? What was their greatest achievement? What was their biggest folly?
I believe a lot of the global issues we currently face today trace back to British imperialism. So was it successful or did they stretch themselves too thin like a rubberband?
The British East India Company gets a lot of attention. But ive been intrigued by the history of the British South Africa Company. What are yalls thoughts on Cecil Rhodes?
Id also appreciate any recommendations for good books on the subject. TIA.
I've been reading up on the 19th century British empire and through WW2. It seems a very mixed bag of good and bad. Im curious as to how others view the empire? What was their greatest achievement? What was their biggest folly?
I believe a lot of the global issues we currently face today trace back to British imperialism. So was it successful or did they stretch themselves too thin like a rubberband?
The British East India Company gets a lot of attention. But ive been intrigued by the history of the British South Africa Company. What are yalls thoughts on Cecil Rhodes?
Id also appreciate any recommendations for good books on the subject. TIA.
This post was edited on 11/12/23 at 10:26 am
27
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:27 am to SECSolomonGrundy
They started to give in to progressivism. That's what killed their empire
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:34 am to fr33manator
they stopped the burning of widows in India
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:36 am to OWLFAN86
quote:
the burning of widows in India
Ive never heard of that. I have heard of ancient cultures that would burn the spouses and concubines of their leaders when they died.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:36 am to fr33manator
quote:
They started to give in to progressivism. That's what killed their empire
Are you calling “The Enlightenment” progressivism? Because that is what sewed the seeds of the empires decline.
Mankind evolved and began seeking freedom and things greater than the class structure of British society
That coupled with the remnants of the Old World dragging us into WWI which then pulled us into WWII meant the British could no longer afford oppressing their colonies
Also, I just learned how the USA forced British concessions during the wars which played a major part of the empire falling. It could be argued USA diplomats were treating the Brits like frenemies
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:37 am to SECSolomonGrundy
Biggest legacy of their empire is the vast majority of >1.4 billion Indians speak English and can do business on the world stage.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:41 am to TheHarahanian
quote:
Biggest legacy of their empire is the vast majority of >1.4 billion Indians speak English and can do business on the world stage.
Like it or not. The British colonizing and defending North American settlers until we could handle it ourselves would be my argument for their greatest legacy.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:42 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:
, I just learned how the USA forced British concessions during the wars which played a major part of the empire falling. It could be argued USA diplomats were treating the Brits like frenemies
Im not familiar with the concessions you refer to. But it could also be argued that the British attempted to lure the US into both wars via propoganda. I think Woodrow Wilson had some influential British friends that turned a little known professor into a President.
What do yall think about the Lusitania incident?
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:45 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:
The British colonizing and defending North American settlers until we could handle it ourselves would be my argument for their greatest legacy.
What about the French and Spanish? They were doing the same thing.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:55 am to SECSolomonGrundy
quote:
Id also appreciate any recommendations for good books on the subject. TIA.
The Splendid Savage is a good book about a man known as the American Scout. The Boy Scouts were modeled after him.
He participated in the Boer Wars in Africa and the founding of Rhodesia. He received one of the highest honors of valor from the Queen.
So indirectly you can get another perspective on what was going on in Africa.
This post was edited on 11/12/23 at 11:39 am
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:55 am to SECSolomonGrundy
Without Cecil Rhodes, there would be no Rhodes scholars. Dude lived it big time.
He pronounced it Cess-Ull. Btw fwiw
He pronounced it Cess-Ull. Btw fwiw
This post was edited on 11/12/23 at 10:58 am
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:56 am to SECSolomonGrundy
As far as colonies go the British colonies seem to have evolved much more successfully than the French, Spanish and Belgium.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:56 am to SECSolomonGrundy
Agreed, but his question was specifically about the British.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 10:58 am to I B Freeman
quote:
As far as colonies go the British colonies seem to have evolved much more successfully than the French, Spanish and Belgium.
More of a fan of the Dutch myself
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:08 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:Wasn’t the Enlightenment in the 1700s when the British Empire was still young? The British Empire peaked in the 1920s. The Empire fell apart because the UK and the other European countries went through 2 wars that decimated the country. They didn’t have the manpower, economic incentive or will to run the Empire anymore.
Are you calling “The Enlightenment” progressivism? Because that is what sewed the seeds of the empires decline.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:09 am to Bullfrog
quote:
Without Cecil Rhodes, there would be no Rhodes scholars.
I think his legacy is a lot more than just Rhodes Scholars. How about South Africa and all those diamonds?
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:10 am to SECSolomonGrundy
Along with the Roman Empire, one of the two eras that really made the world what it is.
Both brought civilization and order to the hinterlands. Neither could manage their holdings very well. Rulers and empires get overstretched and complacent.
Both brought civilization and order to the hinterlands. Neither could manage their holdings very well. Rulers and empires get overstretched and complacent.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:11 am to red sox fan 13
quote:
Wasn’t the Enlightenment in the 1700s when the British Empire was still young? The British Empire peaked in the 1920s. The Empire fell apart because the UK and the other European countries went through 2 wars that decimated the country
Agreed. Im not sure where the argument that the enlightment (or progressivism) led to the end of the empire stems from.
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:12 am to SECSolomonGrundy
quote:Kind of true but the Germans also did it to themselves both times.
But it could also be argued that the British attempted to lure the US into both wars via propoganda.
quote:It’s sad that civilians died but it was a gun running ship. It’s not like the Germans should just let them on through.
What do yall think about the Lusitania incident?
Posted on 11/12/23 at 11:24 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:
Like it or not. The British colonizing and defending North American settlers until we could handle it ourselves would be my argument for their greatest legacy.
The British gave us reason to have the 1st and 2nd amendment to the constitution. A matter of survival pure and simple...
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