Did Britain cause most of the worlds problems ?

[Leah]

[indianasmith]

I got a little heated there; I'm not used to having my karma dinged for simply giving my opinion.  I was poking fun at Lester the way I frequently do, and this guy jumped in and turned it personal.  Sorry if my response was a little inflammatory.

Sometimes making fun at someone can cause hatred Indy. Trust me, it can be fun every now and then, if it's minor, but when it's something like this, it gets to be immature.

Lester and I have enough of a shared history that we understand each other, even if we don't agree.  It was the noob butting in that got under my skin.  But it was still an overreaction on my part.

[Britorama Rob]

I think I'm a little late to the dance on this one but I'd like to give my two bobs worth.


Yes & No might seem like a fence sitting answer but it should be remembered the Empire wasn't an organisation of any really continuity until the turn of the 20th century. Arguably it didn't become a codified entity until it transformed into the cultural entente that is the present Commonwealth of Nations.

Simple fact is it was an idea, under the surface it was a mismatch of colonies, protectorates, private companies, charities, puppet states, dominions, one-sided alliances and more besides. Arguably this ad-hoc approach that dominated makes it a lot harder to analyse good and bad (tricky enough) compared to the more codified and/or compact colonial empires like the French, Dutch, Belgian and German empires.

Which means while you have noble effort like turning from slavery's no.1 pusher to abolition and fighting the trade (the Royal Navy was the first and now last remaining force to maintain anti-slave trade patrols), you have the Opium Wars, which saw Britain crippling China with an officially backed drugs trade. You have banning wife burning in India, you have the Bengal famines, you have spreading the Westminster system, you have the subjugation and decimation of native peoples to mass white colonists on three continents.

Really its down to the acts of individuals, specific governments, motivations etc. Britain has caused plenty of pain around the globe but it certainly shouldn't be an albatross around our necks. Probably one of the few thing I ever agreed with David Cameron on was his refusal to give a hollow personal apology for slavery 200 years after the event.

It just the other side of the coin of some who claim the triumphs of their countrymen, often long since dead, as some sort of proof of their own awesomeness. Probably one of the reasons on not big on spectator sports 

[Flick James]

I would rather have FORTY years of GWB than four more years of BHO!!!

I don't doubt that for a moment. I wouldn't take either one of them a single year. I try to avoid the lesser of two evils in my life whenever possible.

[indianasmith]

Personally, I'm hoping for Mike Huckabee in 2012!

[lester1/2jr]

me too.




















but only as a means to end his horrible show.

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

By and large, I think the British did more good than harm in the world . . . they at least TRIED to give back some things, like lessons in self-government and the abolition of slavery (after 1832), as well as doing away with lot of evil, abusive systems (the suttee in India, and the caste system)  in the territories they colonized.  No, it didn't all work out.  But many of them did take the concept of "the White Man's Burden" seriously, and try to benefit and elevate the places they occupied.

Hats off to Great Britain, and my sincerest apologies for the brutal snubs inflicted on your leaders by the puling incompetent who currently occupies our White House.

the puling incompetent who currently occupies our White House.

Is that really necessary Indy? 

Not to be the antagonist here, but would this question of the "necessity" of Indy's slamming of the President exist if it were George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan who were slammed instead? Again, just asking.


And to be fair, Mr. Obama DID treat Sir Gordon Brown very badly. 

He returned several items given to America in good will over the years.  He hands Sir Brown a handful of Wal-Mart DVD's, and Her Majesty an I-pod? That was a bit cheap, people.

Put me in for the group of people who are deeply embarrassed at that gift exchange.

We may have had our differences (and still do) but I will never have a mean bone in my body for our longest running and staunchest ally.  You guys were always there for us.

And hats off to Britian for the short but incredibly prolific New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and bands like Raven, White Spirit, and the Tygers Of Pan Tang, to name a few!

England is, as they would say in their own words, "super" and '"simply smashing".
Cheers!   

[Doggett]

And to be fair, Mr. Obama DID treat Sir Gordon Brown very badly. 

Okay, how much did he have to pay the Queen for a knighthood ?

[Psycho Circus]

And hats off to Britian for the short but incredibly prolific New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and bands like Raven, White Spirit, and the Tygers Of Pan Tang, to name a few!

Cheers! 

England is, as they would say in their own words, "super" and '"simply smashing".

We don't say stuff like that though dude.... 

[Doggett]

England is, as they would say in their own words, "super" and '"simply smashing".

We don't say stuff like that though dude.... 

I do say super occasionally.

And I think I said "smashing" five years ago.

[lester1/2jr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwVzjVjGknw


I made this to show what british people are like. I think it's pretty fair.

[Flick James]

And hats off to Britian for the short but incredibly prolific New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, and bands like Raven, White Spirit, and the Tygers Of Pan Tang, to name a few!

Cheers! 

England is, as they would say in their own words, "super" and '"simply smashing".

We don't say stuff like that though dude.... 

But you do all wear clown wigs on a frequent basis though, right?

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

England is, as they would say in their own words, "super" and '"simply smashing".

We don't say stuff like that though dude.... 

Aww, c'mon. There's gotta be a few of you blokes out there who still use the old slang. Brits are virtually renowned for their use of slang!   

I do say super occasionally.

And I think I said "smashing" five years ago.

Hey, time dosen't matter, just as long as you said it...

[Rev. Powell]

the puling incompetent who currently occupies our White House.

Is that really necessary Indy?  

Not to be the antagonist here, but would this question of the "necessity" of Indy's slamming of the President exist if it were George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan who were slammed instead? Again, just asking.

Yes, of course.  I think that kind of rhetoric surprises me more coming out of Indy because I admire the fact that he normally steers away from it.    

[Flick James]

Hats off to Great Britain, and my sincerest apologies for the brutal snubs inflicted on your leaders by the puling incompetent who currently occupies our White House.

the puling incompetent who currently occupies our White House.

Is that really necessary Indy? 

Not to be the antagonist here, but would this question of the "necessity" of Indy's slamming of the President exist if it were George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan who were slammed instead? Again, just asking.

Yes, of course.  I think that kind of rhetoric surprises me more coming out of Indy because I admire the fact that he normally steers away from it.   
[/quote]

Well, either we're seeing Indy's true colors of late, or it's a momentary tangent of emotion. I do hope it's the latter, because I generally value his input whether I agree with it or not.