To paint with a very broad brush, the U.K. would hardly be in the position it is in if it hadn't imperialized so heavily. English is the world's dominant langu

To paint with a very broad brush, the U.K. would hardly be in the position it is in if it hadn't imperialized so heavily. English is the world's dominant language, meaning everyone else has to learn English, instead of the English having to learn Chinese, Polish, Spanish, etc. The old connections make London a prime financial center, and even that future is questionable given Brexit and the prominence of alternatives like New York and Singapore. The UK's edge and reach comes from its cultural products. Once the bankers have gone and the techies find better qualities of life away from London's shuttered clubs and the UK's draconian survellience and drug laws, all that's left is James Bond and Harry Potter. I hope I don't come across as being too pessimistic about England's future, but just as it is in a reasonably good state now, it could just as easily be gearing up for a nasty nosedive.