Fighters you dislike

Sweet Science · Aug 16, 2007

cross_trainer said:

At the same time, the English abolished slavery around the world--the only culture in history to have done so. They brought Parliamentary democracy to quite a few nations that had previously been living under petty kings (India, for instance), and brought the rest of the world up to speed technologically.

Mind you, they were not unequivocal altruists. A brief look at imperial history will demonstrate that. Especially in their early days, they were guilty of exterminating several groups of relatively innocent people (there's a fiery furnace reserved for some Guianan planatation owners, I'm sure). But when the Victorian English took over during the days of high imperialism in the 19th century, they managed to eliminate a surprising number of the world's problems.
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The British raped, pilaged and looted many less fortunate countries by claiming they were helping to civilise the so called pagan's and heathens under the guise of Christianity. They were shameless in their exploitation of less fortunate nations and they deserve any ill feeling toward them. By the way I'm British born and bred, though I'm certainly not proud of this.

mr. magoo · Aug 16, 2007

Sweet Science said:

The British raped, pilaged and looted many less fortunate countries by claiming they were helping to civilise the so called pagan's and heathens under the guise of Christianity. They were shameless in their exploitation of less fortunate nations and they deserve any ill feeling toward them. By the way I'm British born and bred, though I'm certainly not proud of this.
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All of the above is true, and in addition, the English tormented their neighbors, the Scots and the Irish as well. However, Cross Trainer has a very good point, that they deserve credit for some of the good that was bestowed upon modern culture and world government as well.

That's coming from an American by the way.

cross_trainer · Aug 16, 2007

Sweet Science said:

The British raped, pilaged and looted many less fortunate countries by claiming they were helping to civilise the so called pagan's and heathens under the guise of Christianity. They were shameless in their exploitation of less fortunate nations and they deserve any ill feeling toward them. By the way I'm British born and bred, though I'm certainly not proud of this.
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They did significantly less of this in the 19th century than any other European nation. More importantly, they did far less of it than most of the rulers they took over from, and were able to create a relatively fair set of laws that many former colonies still retain variants of. Parliamentary democracy, anti-slaving laws, barriers against some of the more destructive customs (Indian child marriage, for instance) and remnants of the British educational system are still very influential in the former Empire.

As to British actions before the mid-to-late 19th century, I agree with you. They were generally conquerors and morally reprehensible by modern standards--but were roughly as rotten as every other country during that period.

Incidentally, I do not believe that "the British" deserve any ill-feeling. You cannot be held responsible for what your great-great-grandfathers did--YOU were not firing the Maxim guns, running sugar plantations, or handing out smallpox blankets.

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Sweet Science Peaceful Muslim Warrior Full Member

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cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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Fighters you dislike

Sweet Science Peaceful Muslim Warrior Full Member

mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member