THE BRITISH EMPIRETHE BRITISH EMPIRE

EpilogueEpiloguePlymstock History DepartmentPlymstock History Department

EPILOGUEEPILOGUE

Britain has always been a tiny group Britain has always been a tiny group of islands . . . tiny in size, that is, of islands . . . tiny in size, that is,

though their effect on the rest of the though their effect on the rest of the world has been enormous. world has been enormous.

Ever wonder why so many other countries Ever wonder why so many other countries around the world speak English, drive on the left around the world speak English, drive on the left hand side on the road, have the Union Jack in hand side on the road, have the Union Jack in their own flags?their own flags?Ever wonder why our Queen is Queen of 27 other Ever wonder why our Queen is Queen of 27 other countries?countries?Ever wonder why Britain gets involved in events Ever wonder why Britain gets involved in events all over the world, sends her army & navy all over the world, sends her army & navy everywhere, still owns little bits of land all over everywhere, still owns little bits of land all over the planet?the planet?Ever wonder why some countries in the world Ever wonder why some countries in the world play our sports like cricket and rugby whilst play our sports like cricket and rugby whilst other do not?other do not?Ever wonder why so many of us have family Ever wonder why so many of us have family living in places such as Canada, Australia, South living in places such as Canada, Australia, South Africa?Africa?

Remember these points?Remember these points?

Britain created an empire which Britain created an empire which changed the world – and made changed the world – and made herself very rich in the process.herself very rich in the process.

The trouble is, ‘great’ deeds like that The trouble is, ‘great’ deeds like that cost a lot – they cost a lot of pain cost a lot – they cost a lot of pain and suffering. The native peoples and suffering. The native peoples that the Brits met were conquered, that the Brits met were conquered, broken and sometimes even wiped broken and sometimes even wiped

out. Whilst not everyone in the out. Whilst not everyone in the conquering country benefits.conquering country benefits.

If you had stopped a British If you had stopped a British conqueror and asked, ‘Why are you conqueror and asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ he (or she) might have doing this?’ he (or she) might have said . . .said . . .

If you’d asked them ‘How are you If you’d asked them ‘How are you doing this?’ then honest empire-doing this?’ then honest empire-builders would have had to builders would have had to answer . . .answer . . .

Most British people believed their country was the . . .

We call this patriotismWe call this patriotism

The truth is that the only ‘free’ ones The truth is that the only ‘free’ ones were the white natives of the British were the white natives of the British Isles (and even then life was usually Isles (and even then life was usually miserable unless you were wealthy miserable unless you were wealthy as you will have already studied).as you will have already studied).

The British Empire did help to get The British Empire did help to get rid of a lot of evils, like cannibalism rid of a lot of evils, like cannibalism and human sacrifice – but it taught and human sacrifice – but it taught the conquered natives other things the conquered natives other things instead, like how to love money and instead, like how to love money and how to massacre with machines.how to massacre with machines.

Throughout the Twentieth Century, Throughout the Twentieth Century, especially after the Second World War, especially after the Second World War, the native peoples were slowly given the native peoples were slowly given back the lands that belonged to them. back the lands that belonged to them. Some fought and died for that freedom Some fought and died for that freedom – some were handed it by the Brits, – some were handed it by the Brits, who started to see how the world had who started to see how the world had changed. Empires were no longer a changed. Empires were no longer a grand and glorious thing to have. This grand and glorious thing to have. This was called was called DECOLONISATIONDECOLONISATION

Since the Second World War, and Since the Second World War, and Hitler’s attempts to build an evil Hitler’s attempts to build an evil empire, no one puts up with bullies empire, no one puts up with bullies any more.any more.

The British Empire is now dead but The British Empire is now dead but no one can quite agree on just how no one can quite agree on just how good – or bad – it was. Some Brits good – or bad – it was. Some Brits say . . .say . . .

But you could remind them . . .But you could remind them . . .

Maybe you should ask the people Maybe you should ask the people who had to put up with it how who had to put up with it how much good the British Empire did much good the British Empire did them! them!

On 15 August 1947 the Brits gave On 15 August 1947 the Brits gave back India, Pakistan and back India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to the native people. Bangladesh to the native people.

The British politician Winston The British politician Winston Churchill said . . .Churchill said . . .

100,000 whites ruling 300,000,000 Indians100,000 whites ruling 300,000,000 Indians

What did the Indians think? They What did the Indians think? They celebrated 15 August 1947 and freedom celebrated 15 August 1947 and freedom by tearing down the statues of the British by tearing down the statues of the British Generals and the British rulers that the Generals and the British rulers that the Brits had erected over the past 200 years.Brits had erected over the past 200 years.

So was the British rule of India a good So was the British rule of India a good thing for India and for the world?thing for India and for the world?

Depends on who you ask! On your Depends on who you ask! On your opinion.opinion.

So now at the end of the So now at the end of the course, how do you feel about course, how do you feel about

the British Empire?the British Empire?

Have you changed your mind? Have you changed your mind? Do you feel guilty? Still proud? Do you feel guilty? Still proud?

A little bit of both?A little bit of both?

Final thoughts…..

Source A

Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) was unified under British rule in 1815. Over the next 80 years the British built, 2,300 miles of road and 2,900 miles of railway. They raised the area used for farming from 400,000acres to 3.2 million area, the farm animals from 230,000 to 1.5 million, the post offices from 4 to 250, the telegraph lines from 0 to 1600 miles, the schools from 170 to 2,900, the hospitals from 0 to 65, the annual amount of goods shipped abroad from 75,000 tons to 7 million

James Morris, ‘Pax Britannica’ 1970

Source B

In the colonies our science and technology had improved standards of living and we were more civilised in our values. The history of the British

Empire will be seen as a very good thing – A retired schoolmaster from Yorkshire 1953

Source C

I hate the British for the wrong they have done India. Their Parliament makes laws for us and their government appoints a Viceroy to rule over us. The

British are arrogant, despising our brown skins. Worst of all, the British have kept us poor. Our

people work for slave wages in British-owned cotton mills and on British-owned tea plantations - Pandit

Nehru, India's first Prime Minister 1947

The last word should lie with Nelson Mandela The last word should lie with Nelson Mandela recalling his schooldays in Natal, South Africa recalling his schooldays in Natal, South Africa during the 1920’s:during the 1920’s:

‘‘You must remember I was brought up in a British You must remember I was brought up in a British school, and at the time Britain was the home of school, and at the time Britain was the home of everything that was best in the world. I have not everything that was best in the world. I have not discarded the influence which Britain and British discarded the influence which Britain and British

history and culture exercise on us. We regarded it as history and culture exercise on us. We regarded it as the capital of the world and visiting the place the capital of the world and visiting the place

therefore had this excitement because I was visiting therefore had this excitement because I was visiting the country that was my pride….You must also the country that was my pride….You must also

remember that Britain is the home of parliamentary remember that Britain is the home of parliamentary democracy and, as people fighting against tyranny democracy and, as people fighting against tyranny we look upon Britain to take an active interest and we look upon Britain to take an active interest and

support in the fight against tyranny.support in the fight against tyranny.

‘‘Few empires have equipped their subjects Few empires have equipped their subjects with the intellectual wherewithal to with the intellectual wherewithal to

overthrow their rulers. None has been overthrow their rulers. None has been survived by so much affection and moral survived by so much affection and moral

respect’respect’

Lawrence James – The rise & Fall of the British EmpireLawrence James – The rise & Fall of the British Empire

What do you What do you think?think?