Victorias Empire

Mick

I watched it too and enjoyed it. Not so much for Victoria Woods lack of insight or poor humour (IMHO) but with the architecture and outstanding beauty of the places she visited.

Your post did remind me however of Tim Brooke Taylor ranting in an episode of the Oddies! It's all good!

Jay

Do you also think it's good we're now teaching the Middle East english ?

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:


That programme made me proud to be British and walking around London was an exillerating experience.

I wouldn't be surprised if English speaking Indians are better at spelling and grammar than many English people.

quote:

Originally posted by bob mccluckie:
I wouldn't be surprised if English speaking Indians are better at spelling and grammar than many English people.

Well it is invalueable (sic) to some. I wonder if Mick will find it exilerating (sic) to post a mistake free post?

Eric

Shurely, "Mistake-free"?

Mike,

Is it? I had no idea. I am much obliged.

So.........do you consider it acceptable and "good" for Britain to plunder a country for its natural resourses provided the country learns the lingo to enable it to support the agressor ?

Brilliant, Mick...except...

The Indian colony was an economic failure until the British east India Company realized the addictive properties of opium could save the day...for the British, not for the opium workers or consumers.

When the Chinese authorities attempted to stop the opium trade, the Company turned to the British government to protect its own parochial economic interests (Opium Wars), thereby turning public resources to their own private use.

The Company went on to lose its franchise by making its rule so incompetent that Muslims and Hindus combined in the Great Mutiny. The government then took over the drug trade and the colony, eventually making Victoria the Empress of India.

The government's rule of the sub-continent was ended without violent revolution, but not without partition...and not without the murder of tens of thousands Indians by rampaging members of the Muslim and Hindu communities.

For a consideration of British success in the Middle East, see David Fromkin's 'A Peace to End All Peace'.

I thought Colonel Blimp had died. I guess I was wrong.

Phil Barry

No, but I could wish we had a few Colonel Blimps in charge compared to what we do have...

Fredrik

Low described him as "a symbol of stupidity, and stupid people are quite nice."

With certain, less than notable exceptions, I guess...

Dear Deane,

It may well be that my observation of slightly stupid, but well meaning, people is that they know this. They do not force their view. Blair is exceptionally stupid, though he seems not to comprehend this as he thinks he is exceptionally clever. Brown also...

I am a supporter of a Proportiomal Reprsentation System, where if 33% of the electorate who turn out whould elect that proportion of seats in the Commons...

I am supporter of Scottish independance, as an Englishman! Well half Norwegian, but I would like the playing field evened out viz-a-viz the the Tories and the Socialist. the Boundary Commission has been playing the Socialist's game for too long in the "First Past The Post System" we are blessed with in the UK...!

Chaps

The reason why I started this thread is that I have always considered the British Empire as one of the major forces in civilising the world.

I agree that we did alright out of it but the commonwealth has done a lot for many countries.

We speed up development throughout the world and the result is that a large chunk of the population speaks English which in itself offers many advantages.

I just wondered if you agreed with me.

Regards

Mick

Mick

As a Canadian, I cannot help but to agree with you. My Mother's Grandfather moved here from Thirsk in the 18th century and my family is very proud of our heritage and our continuing relationship with our fellow Commonwealth countries.

Cheers
Jim

quote:

the Boundary Commission has been playing the Socialist's game for too long in the "First Past The Post System" we are blessed with in the UK...!

In the way they changed Conservative MPs being voted in in many seats of 5000, while 100,000+ voters were in a lot predominately Labour seats.

Cases both ways over time, I grant, but never has the case for PR been stronger. Frankly I never want to see a Thatcher or Blair wield power on such a small proportion of the votes of the electorate. Both of them damaged democracy in my view. One is not better or worse than the other.

If Germany can run a governement by consensus and coalition we jolly well out to be able to in UK!

ATB from Fredrik

As a New Zealander, there are some things for which I am grateful to the British Empire. These are such things as the legal tradition, the Constitution that relies on strong conventions - and therefore places its high principles above the written word.

But I am ashamed at the way the Crown has carried on toward the Maori Paople (Iwi, Hapu and Whanau) throughout the last century and a half. They have acted consistently in bad faith; almost totally ignoring a Treaty (a Covenant actually) that they willingly entered into with Maori.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:

We have not got a constitution or a bill of rights,here in England. The democracy wont let us have one.Munch

Was the Bill of Rights Act 1689 repealed? Mostly to do with limiting Royal powers though.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, just like NZ.

Of course having a written and legal constitution is not necessarily the answer,look across the pond.
I'm in favour of PR too, it should keep us to the middle way.
Downsides could be having a new government every six months, a la Italy , and it could lead to the Nazi Front getting more of a voice.
Ones proportion would have to be carefully looked at methinks.

Howard

Howard

quote:

it should keep us to the middle way

The danger with this of course is that you end up doing nothing and never taking any kind of risk. Government by committee doesn't appeal to me I'm afraid.

Cheers

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Chaps

The reason why I started this thread is that I have always considered the British Empire as one of the major forces in civilising the world.

I agree that we did alright out of it but the commonwealth has done a lot for many countries.

We speed up development throughout the world and the result is that a large chunk of the population speaks English which in itself offers many advantages.

I just wondered if you agreed with me.

Yes, for the most part. Offestting the positive achievements, there have been some shameful incidents, but they pale into insignificance compared to, say, Belgium's actions in the Congo.

i don't know we didn't do so bad we did invent the high capacity slave ships and concentration camps (mainly for holding women and children BTW).

It's easy to find fault with the history of any country and Britain is certainly no exception, but we have also achieved so much and produced such genius along the way.

Far more important than the past, glorious or otherwise, we should focus on the future and our relationship with the rest of the world to ensure that generations to come can look back on the 21st century as being a time of a dignified and honourable Britain that they can be proud of. That is something that we hold control of right now. That's what matters, not the past. (Land Of Hope And Glory playing in the background).

Fuck me, I must be getting old.....

Deane,

you don't need to feel ashamed about the Maoris - after all I don't see the Maoris feeling ashamed about those they displaced when they turned up in NZ originally...

quote:

you don't need to feel ashamed about the Maoris - after all I don't see the Maoris feeling ashamed about those they displaced when they turned up in NZ originally...

Who were they then? A bit different if done by a supposedly civilised country than by a bunch of hunter gatherers with stone tools