View Full Version : Brittish Empire Pride.
piratelassie
29-Aug-10, 00:25
I cant for the life of me understand how anybody can be proud of any country that builds an empire. It can only be done through force and exploytation of others. I for one am not proud to be Brittish because of our history. I would be interested in others comments.
Total agreement. The slave trade was part of that despicable empire.
Interesting name you have picked with reference to pirating lol. :D
It all happened a long time ago, and you weren't personally involved in it, so why be ashamed of it? Certainly, it's not something that can be considered one of Britains better decision but it's not something I'd lose any sleep over, and anyway, haven't parts of the former empire done rather well out of 'us' taking over them for a few years, and look how many people have been able to migrate here because of the empire. So it's not been all bad.
I think that to bring people together, one must perhaps exploit people in some way....and I think that all Countries are guilty of it.
To get the cohesion, some people have to be forced, and that sometimes takes more that a nod or prod.....
And slavery.....not good but then were we even civilized in the beginning?
It's great to have hindsight, but unless we are guided, then we make mistakes....of course some worse than others.
I don't think that we can do anything about the past...The future...yes of course...
Just my thoughts!
Empires come and go; exploitation comes and goes too. The Romans came to these shores and stayed for over 400 years but I won't hold it against them. The Vikings came and some will argue that they're still here yet! Then there was the Normans, the reason I'm here now. :confused
The current 'global' empire appears to be the USA and it's a real pain in the a$$!
As for slavery; well it was happening before Britain became involved and it still happens today. That is one part of British history I can't feel any pride for but at the same time I don't feel any guilt because I had nothing to do with it.
Sara Jevo
29-Aug-10, 09:45
I'm like you, I take no pride in the empire past. That said, we're judging what they did two or three hundred years ago by the standards of today. They did lot of things that were appalling by today's standards. People two or three hundred years from now probably will say the same about us.
I just hope they're not still handing out "empire medals" by then!
I am proud of being a Scot first & British second, and I have no qualms with our past history or empire building. We Scots were very innovative in the 18th Century, Scots were at the forefront of the Age of Enlightenment. So much was done in that century.
billmoseley
29-Aug-10, 09:59
i will always be proud of being British. it's who we are. yer we have a dodgy past but it is what has made us who we are now. but the world has moved on now so and our empire building has made the world a more multicultural place and surely that's for the better
Sara Jevo
29-Aug-10, 10:38
our empire building has made the world a more multicultural place and surely that's for the better
Lol the logic of that made me smile.
By the same token, you could argue the Second World War was a good thing because it resulted in European countries resolving to work together in a union to prevent another war.
Colonisation, conquest, religious impositions, subjugation, extension of the imperial class system - you're defending the indefensible.
conquest, religious impositions, subjugation.
Can you give any examples of the British doing any of those please? :confused
billmoseley
29-Aug-10, 14:41
is it indefencable in most cases we have in the long run improved there lives
Can you give any examples of the British doing any of those please? :confused
Britain has no doubt been guilty of conquest, religious impositions and subjugation. Possibly not all at the same time but never-the-less to some degree or other Britain imposed itself upon nations and peoples in India, China, South and East Africa as well as the Eastern seaboard of North America. The list goes on.
Let's not forget the Aboriginies in Australia who lived a peaceful existence for 65,000 years before us Brits arrived and took their lands from them. Some were even shot as animals as recently as 1917!
billmoseley
29-Aug-10, 16:34
these were in the past and nothing you or i could do about it. I'm still proud to be British. we have done a lot of good in the world as well as the bad. look at all the inventions that have come out Britain.
Slavery was abolished by the Courts in Scotland in 1779 and in the British Empire in 1807.
We ain't all bad!
Walter Ego
29-Aug-10, 17:41
Why should anyone be 'ashamed' of their forefathers actions.
It's nothing more than trendy hand-wringing apologist claptrap.
I don't expect the Spanish to be 'ashamed' or apologise for their expansion into South America, or the French in West and North Africa. Nor do I expect the Japanese, Italians and Germans to be 'ashamed' for their countries actions 60 years ago.
Perhaps the Scandavians should hang their heads in shame for conquering and settling in Britain (Normans and Vikings).
Franks, Goths, Angles, Jutes, Incas, Aztecs, Polynesians, Chinese, Mongols all expansionsist and conquering tribes/communities. Do we expect them to 'apologise and be 'ashamed'?
Get off your pompous holier-than-thou soapboxes you historically challenged handwringing numpties.[lol][lol][lol]
teddybear1873
29-Aug-10, 17:46
I'm even proud to be a Caithnessian, even if though we have a dodgy past with sheep.
I'm even proud to be a Caithnessian, even if though we have a dodgy past with sheep.
Aye Aye man!
Of course we have nothing to be ashamed of or to apologise for because none of us were there. However that doesn't preclude us from balancing the way history is taught so that our children know of the good and the bad in our country’s past. :eek:
I believe that there has been cultural practices in the areas of the colonies that would turn anyone's stomach here. Colonisation put a stop to all that.
Why should anyone be 'ashamed' of their forefathers actions.
It's nothing more than trendy hand-wringing apologist claptrap.
I don't expect the Spanish to be 'ashamed' or apologise for their expansion into South America, or the French in West and North Africa. Nor do I expect the Japanese, Italians and Germans to be 'ashamed' for their countries actions 60 years ago.
Perhaps the Scandavians should hang their heads in shame for conquering and settling in Britain (Normans and Vikings).
Franks, Goths, Angles, Jutes, Incas, Aztecs, Polynesians, Chinese, Mongols all expansionsist and conquering tribes/communities. Do we expect them to 'apologise and be 'ashamed'?
Get off your pompous holier-than-thou soapboxes you historically challenged handwringing numpties.[lol][lol][lol]
I don't think we should apologize but I don't think we should be proud the same way we wouldn't be proud if our parents where involved in slavery today.
georgegwf
29-Aug-10, 22:49
The Empire made the world the way it is today "Africa rife with corruption" "India/Pakistan" the new economic powerhouse "rife with corruption" America "Arrogant,Egotistcal,Ignorant","It's not our fault" syndrome. Australia/New Zealand "Where we deported all our undesirerables"
But lets not forget about our esteemed european cousins the French,Portugese,Dutch and of course the Spaniards.... Then Germany decided they wanted in on the act and look what happened to them. Lost two world wars had the country divided. The Russian Empire didn't last nor did the Japanese one.
But Human Nature Is To Blame,Why ? Because people allways want the things other people have
Amy-Winehouse
29-Aug-10, 22:57
Im proud to be a Brit/Scot/Highlander/Wicker . Id much rather be British than a Nazi- everyone has a skeleton in their closet somewhere .
Would you like the sharia law to come into existence in the UK Piratelassie ??? Then you will wish you were British :cool:
I cant for the life of me understand how anybody can be proud of any country that builds an empire. It can only be done through force and exploytation of others. I for one am not proud to be Brittish because of our history. I would be interested in others comments.That's a bit more imaginative than your usual precursor to an incoherent nationalist rant. But not much.
Now what little foreign adventure was it that led to the union of 1707? I spy two piles of ironing.
Im proud to be a Brit/Scot/Highlander/Wicker . Id much rather be British than a Nazi- everyone has a skeleton in their closet somewhere .
Would you like the sharia law to come into existence in the UK Piratelassie ??? Then you will wish you were British :cool:
From what I know about history is, that Britain fought againat the Nazis in WW2 to protect this place where we live against invasion and having our everyday life turned upside down. Nowadays though we are being invaded/colonised every minute of every day and we are some how supposed to accept it as being politically correct and if you disagree with it youre labelled racist. And meanwhile the Armed forces who fought against it in the first place are now fighting a war that has got nothing to do with us while we are being invaded anyway. Whats the point? and No I dont want Shariah law in this country, but unfortunately its already happening in some parts, and imo if nobody can be bothered doing anything about it it will spread throughout the Uk. Fast forward 20/30 years and its welcome to the Islamic Republic of UK.
Red Arrows here please.
I noticed on the news tonight that thew first ever Australian aborigine has been elected to parliament. The very first. Says a lot does it not?
Sara Jevo
30-Aug-10, 06:56
Nowadays though we are being invaded/colonised every minute of every day and we are some how supposed to accept it as being politically correct and if you disagree with it youre labelled racist.
Red Arrows here please.
Being opposed to immigration isn't racist. It's a legitimate political view. It becomes discriminatory, however, when you oppose some, but not all, immigration because of specific characteristics, such as race or ethnicity. Using skin colour to distinguish between those who should and shouldn't be allowed to enter the country would be racist.
Walter Ego
30-Aug-10, 07:05
That's a bit more imaginative than your usual precursor to an incoherent nationalist rant. But not much.
Now what little foreign adventure was it that led to the union of 1707? I spy two piles of ironing.
I also wondered why the OP say 'British' and not 'Scots'.
It makes sense now. Perhaps Piratelassie would care to be 'ashamed to be Scottish' because of the millions of Scots who went abroad in the C19th and help ruthlessly slaughter the American Indians and Aborigines for their own benefit?
Look anywhere in history in any nation, Piratelassie and you'll find periods of attempted subjugation and expansionist policy. Though I feel that your OP is nothing more than an attempt to further your own cause.....
Colonisation, conquest, religious impositions, subjugation
Can you give any examples of the British doing any of those please? :confused
As well as the far flung countries mentioned above by GRONNUCK we can start a bit nearer home with Ireland
Im proud to be a Brit/Scot/Highlander/Wicker . Id much rather be British than a Nazi...
You'd struggle to be born a nazi as it was a political party. Like saying I was born a tory.
rob murray
02-Sep-10, 17:43
I noticed on the news tonight that thew first ever Australian aborigine has been elected to parliament. The very first. Says a lot does it not?
Yes your right to point this out, but discrimination is rife...everywhere !
You'd struggle to be born a nazi as it was a political party. Like saying I was born a tory.
My two were born when their mum was in labour.
My two were born when their mum was in labour.
Better than being born while their mum was in the nazi party!;)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Empire-Britain-Made-Modern-World/dp/0141007540
read this pirate lassie, it might make things a little less clear for you
Yes your right to point this out, but discrimination is rife...everywhere !
I don't think so! In fact I know it is not so.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Empire-Britain-Made-Modern-World/dp/0141007540
read this pirate lassie, it might make things a little less clear for you
Naaaaaaa....The real Book is....'How the Scots invented the Modern World'. It's awesome......
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