Opinion: The British Empire: A legacy of violence?
The British Empire was not only a violent and imperialist venture, it was also one of the most damaging and detrimental to human civilization. Yet the world’s preeminent historian has done precious little to dispel the myth that the British Empire was for the betterment of humanity. There is a need to rethink the role of the British Empire in the world, and the history of empire in general, in order to bring out the full complexity of empire and to finally dispel the myth that the British Empire was for the greater good.
The truth is that the British Empire was not only a violent and imperialist venture, it was also one of the most damaging and detrimental to human civilization. Although the British were not the only empire builders, their contribution was immense. They were responsible for building a world order that continues to this day, one that, in no small part due to their efforts, has remained one of the most humane and benevolent in the world.
For more than a century after its birth, the British Empire has endured and thrived, remaining a model for other imperial powers. In the words of William I of Prussia, it was “like God’s own handiwork.”
The British Empire grew from the chaos of the first World War, when the United States of America entered the war on the side of the Allied powers against the Germans. From then on, the United States established a firm alliance with the British and Canadian empires, and a new world order was born, as the British Empire expanded to the East, meeting with Japan, and the Japanese Empire sought to dominate the whole of the Pacific.
The British Empire grew from the chaos of the first World War, when the United States entered the war on the side of the Allied powers against the Germans. From then on, the United States established a firm alliance with the British and Canadian empires, and a new world order was born, as the British Empire expanded to the East, meeting with Japan, and the Japanese Empire sought to dominate the whole of the Pacific.
The British Empire, however, did not reach the peak of its perfection. Throughout
