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> India has been recognised as a single entity for a long time before the British, for instance the Ancient Romans, Chinese, Arabs and Greeks. So has "Europe"

> India has been recognised as a single entity for a long time before the British, for instance the Ancient Romans, Chinese, Arabs and Greeks. So has "Europe" been recognised as a "single entity". Or "Christendom" or many other entities. The reason India is a single state is because of an accident of history - that Britain colonised it, built a ruling elite and civil service, and so constructed it as a state. If it weren't for that accident of history, India would most likely be as it was before - a collection of states "bickering about trivial things".

naruvimama 5y ago
Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world, do not see any other big country accidentally created by Britain. Britain has been known for divide and rule, especially for a region like India that has had a long history of massive Empires. Let us remember that the British did leave India as a collection of 600+ princely states. It was the Indians who convinced them to join the union. The EU was formed with trade as a carrot to prevent them from going at each others throats, we have had Brexit in spite of that. The Arabs are famously have a mostly homogeneous religion and language but have been at each others throats. India is an old and continuous civilisation, it takes a lot of trial, error and learning to have a long running civilisation.
- dragonwriter 5y ago
  > Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world, do not see any other big country accidentally created by Britain. You... aren't thinking very hard then. What has been the single most globally dominant power since it eclipsed the waning British Empire, and how did it form? (The correct answer to the second question is “Under British rule but very much not according to British intention”.) And it was a big country when it formed, though not as big as it is now.
- naruvimama 5y ago
  Britain went from head to tail :) The US in spite of its tall claim of being a melting pot is essentially a white christian Anglo-Saxon country. It is a Britains own lebensraum, perhaps not including the old aristocrats.
- AnimalMuppet 5y ago
  > Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world With the other 20% being Russia. And China apart from a few ports. And South America apart from Guiana. And Central America apart from Belize. And Mexico. And Greenland. And the entire rest of Europe. I think your math is a bit off...
- naruvimama 5y ago
  > I think your math is a bit off... Yes you are right I went with rhetoric, but nevertheless Britain had significant parts of the world as a colony at one point or the other. The idea that Britain intentionally or unintentionally created India when Indians did not see it as one is BS.

naruvimama 5y ago

Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world, do not see any other big country accidentally created by Britain. Britain has been known for divide and rule, especially for a region like India that has had a long history of massive Empires. Let us remember that the British did leave India as a collection of 600+ princely states. It was the Indians who convinced them to join the union. The EU was formed with trade as a carrot to prevent them from going at each others throats, we have had Brexit in spite of that. The Arabs are famously have a mostly homogeneous religion and language but have been at each others throats. India is an old and continuous civilisation, it takes a lot of trial, error and learning to have a long running civilisation.

dragonwriter 5y ago
> Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world, do not see any other big country accidentally created by Britain. You... aren't thinking very hard then. What has been the single most globally dominant power since it eclipsed the waning British Empire, and how did it form? (The correct answer to the second question is “Under British rule but very much not according to British intention”.) And it was a big country when it formed, though not as big as it is now.
naruvimama 5y ago
Britain went from head to tail :) The US in spite of its tall claim of being a melting pot is essentially a white christian Anglo-Saxon country. It is a Britains own lebensraum, perhaps not including the old aristocrats.
AnimalMuppet 5y ago
> Britain at its peak had colonised about 80% of the world With the other 20% being Russia. And China apart from a few ports. And South America apart from Guiana. And Central America apart from Belize. And Mexico. And Greenland. And the entire rest of Europe. I think your math is a bit off...
naruvimama 5y ago
> I think your math is a bit off... Yes you are right I went with rhetoric, but nevertheless Britain had significant parts of the world as a colony at one point or the other. The idea that Britain intentionally or unintentionally created India when Indians did not see it as one is BS.