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Just yesterday hundreds of people were presented with 'honours' bearing the name of the British Empire - e.g. a 'CBE' is a 'Commander of the British Empire'. J
by klelatti 5y ago
Just yesterday hundreds of people were presented with 'honours' bearing the name of the British Empire - e.g. a 'CBE' is a 'Commander of the British Empire'.
Just as a start (and only a start) maybe Britain should stop celebrating the (non-existent) Empire which caused so many problems around the world.
- kmlx 5y ago> which caused so many problems around the world you’re viewing this through the prism of the present.
- vixen99 5y agoCompletely agree. The benighted nations exploited by the British could have done without them introducing the British legal system giving people far more rights than they had ever had before. Could have done without the road and rail systems left behind by the British (including in India where it was the biggest in the world). Could have done without the literacy and educational reform in places they colonized. And unlike any other nation, they passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807 that made slavery illegal in the British Empire. It continued elsewhere of course (as it does today) and the British Navy seized 1,600 slave ships and freed 150,000 Africans between 1808 and 1860. Also interesting that five of the ten richest countries in Africa today are former British Colonies. Perhaps the Ottoman Empire or someother (which might we suggest?) should have triumphed instead.
- JoeAltmaier 5y agoLife of Brian had something similar to say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDcturOGF_4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDcturOGF_4
- thewarrior 5y agoSo no nation not colonized by the British has a legal system that gives them rights ? A cursory look at colonial India is enough to show this to be complete nonsense. The Rowlatt act wasn’t exactly the beacon of human rights.
- bserge 5y agoWhy yes, they could've done without all that. But whatever, if it wasn't the British, it would've been someone else, such is human nature and such were the times.
- indymike 5y agoIf being a British Colony was so great, the colonies would still be colonies.
- klelatti 5y agoThere were some good things and some very bad things, which you've omitted of course. But you've missed my point - that celebrating the Empire through these honours means that Britain makes it harder for the country to make a balanced and nuanced assessment of the legacy of the British Empire.
- dankboys 5y agoYeah the British were so awful when they arrived in a place, why couldn’t they just let the Indians continue widow-burning?
- hermitcrab 5y agoIf you think using the title 'Commander of the British Empire' is bad, check this out: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/22/calls-for-redesign-of-royal-honour-over-offensive-image https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/22/calls-for-re...