Exactly. Also the US never wanted to join. Ireland quit in 1949. South Africa, who should never have been members with an Apartheid regime left of their own accord before rejoining.
[Football] A genuine question - what did the UK gain from Indian occupation?
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Exactly. Also the US never wanted to join. Ireland quit in 1949. South Africa, who should never have been members with an Apartheid regime left of their own accord before rejoining.
He certainly was. Partition killed an estimated million people and displaced 15 million. Can't recall how many Canadian's were killed in his WWII Dieppe raid.
Comrade Sam
Comrade Sam
Did you know that more people died at the hands of the British Empire than Stalin or Hitler. All nasty really!
When the countries decided to join the wonderful Commonwealth, was it democratic decisions or decisions made by people who had been installed by the previous emperial regime?
If we take Ghana as an example, the wonderful Commonwealth first appeared to like Nkrumah but when he decided that the natural resources of Ghana should belong to the people of Ghana, the UK and the US armed the NLC and overthrew his government to install a new one that curiously decided that Ghanas natural resources should belong to English and American mining companies. Naturally not a problem to you as you are closet fascist and closet racist, but do you really think the average bloke in Ghana thought "I'd like to belong to the wonderful Commonwealth whose leaders overthrew the government who wanted Ghanian resources to belong to Ghana"?
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Power and corruption are nasty. Look at what Putin has been doing in Ukraine. Civilians kidnapped and taken right into Russia.
History shows the faults of human nature. Hopefully we learn from previous mistakes. What I don’t agree with, is being punished for what my predecessors did.
With you up to that last point where you, yet again, invent a hoard of imaginary enemies 'within'.
No.
Comrade Sam
Comrade Sam
Are you being punished? What did your ancestors do?
Sadly I didn't have to invent them, my friend. Indeed, some are alive and well on NSC!
Comrade Sam
Comrade Sam
I'm not sure why people are so upset at the condemnation of the British ruling class. The Empire merely made them stronger whilst most British people were subject to the enclosures, vagrancy laws, the workhouse, child labour, slums, pollution. Just as for the people of the empire, British people have had to fight the same powers to win the vote, the right to strike, the weekend, freedom of speech and movement, decent pay and homes. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of NSC users British ancestors gained little from the Empire and should stop being so touchy when it's questioned
- Apr 13, 2015
- 3,858
Exactly, it was feudal conglomeration of disparate 'monarchies'... forever clashing with neighbours, and in fact, largely keen to make economic and political deals with the various western powers ( France, Britain, Portugal) to solidify their personal positions against their neighbours.
These arrangements of course, over a century or so, evolved into a British dominated colony, via the 'Company' ... but once independence and partitioning occurred, the political, economic and physical infrastructure in place, formed the basis for the modern day economic giant.. albeit a giant that sees 80% of its population living in poor conditions if measured using western standards.
**I see I have missed the original question.....apologies**
Our trading power became 2nd to none in the 18th and 19th century, allowing Britain to initiate the industrial revolution. From this point right up to the mid 20th century, we led the world in innovation and invention, the benefits speak for themselves.
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- Aug 7, 2003
- 8,087
faoileán
Well-known member
- Jan 29, 2021
- 914
Out come those rose tinted spectacles again... For peoples regaining their independence suddenly going it alone was a scary prospect. The Commonwealth offered a small level of reassurance and as the UK is discovering now, going it alone is a lonely next step.
Lyndhurst 14
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2008
- 5,242
I think a lot of countries have remained in the commonwealth because of the queen. Now she has gone I think more of them will be leaving over the next few years. The Sussexes, on some of their recent trips, did not exactly cover themselves with glory
Exactly. However by the same token we, the people of modern Britain, shouldn't have to apologise for the Empire. It wasn't us, so people shouldn't try and lay a guilt trip down on us for what 'historical figures born on the same landmass' did.
It continues today, which is something a lot seem to forget. British companies are exploiting poor countries, stealing their natural resources.
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,885
Don’t worry about the companies, how about the U.K. state exploiting the limited medical resources of poorer countries to get them into the NHS.
And yet some people celebrate that expolitation like I dare say their forebears did when the found out about Plessey.
Imperialism and colonial attitudes are not dead in this country.
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,885
Very true, there were regular famines in Ireland (and elsewhere in Europe) due to many factors some of which were beyond the control of those in charge (check the year without a summer in (1816).
The Chinese communists on the other hand, ignored the effects of collectivisation under Stalin and really let rip………
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gre...pread oral reports,even to eating human flesh.
Given their history it’s no surprise they will eat literally anything, animal, mineral or vegetable.
It's not just British companies though is it? And slavery continues today despite our best efforts to eradicate it. And British companies also exploit British people. There are so many ills in the world, and to repeat, they are not the fault of the ordinary contemporary British people - and historical ones certainly aren't.