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lines
Stranger


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What was The British Empire?
#10443794 - 06/02/09 07:34 PM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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Why were those guys taking over all those countries? Was it so that they could protect british businesses who were located in those regions? If that was the case how did the mechanics of the whole thing work out. I was never taught what they were doing. Teachers never said why they had an empire and what the empire was all about. They just mentioned some wars and british taking countries over. They didnt say whether it was over money or what. What were they doing with their establishing of an empire?
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DieCommie

Registered: 12/11/03
Posts: 29,258
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Re: What was The British Empire? [Re: lines]
#10443815 - 06/02/09 07:37 PM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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Their empire extracted wealth from the dominated lands, that was their motivation. This is in contrast to the modern American hegemony where we inject wealth into lands to maintain our position of power.
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OrgoneConclusion
Blue Fish Group



Registered: 04/01/07
Posts: 45,414
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Re: What was The British Empire? [Re: lines]
#10443823 - 06/02/09 07:38 PM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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The BEatles were pretty cool though...
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Edited by OrgoneConclusion (06/02/09 08:06 PM)
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C.M. Mann
subconscious explorer



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Re: What was The British Empire? [Re: lines]
#10444457 - 06/02/09 09:35 PM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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The United Kingdom made their conquests strictly for the almighty pound. Their navy protected their commerce, and they dominated everything from tea to opium. The New World was supposed to be a money maker, but I guess they gained a friend.
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zouden
Neuroscientist



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Re: What was The British Empire? [Re: lines]
#10445625 - 06/03/09 01:28 AM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
lines said: Why were those guys taking over all those countries? Was it so that they could protect british businesses who were located in those regions? If that was the case how did the mechanics of the whole thing work out. I was never taught what they were doing. Teachers never said why they had an empire and what the empire was all about. They just mentioned some wars and british taking countries over. They didnt say whether it was over money or what. What were they doing with their establishing of an empire?
Having an empire was just what you did back then, if you could. The British were not from the only ones with a globe-spanning empire; there was also the Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. But the Royal Navy was unbeatable, so it was inevitable that the British would come out on top.
The main driving force behind imperialism was a form of economics called mercantilism. It was later superceded by a more advanced theory called capitalism.
-------------------- I know... that just the smallest part of the world belongs to me You know... I'm not a blind man but truth is the hardest thing to see
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fireworks_god
Sexy.Butt.McDanger



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Re: What was The British Empire? [Re: lines]
#10445960 - 06/03/09 04:25 AM (14 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
lines said: What were they doing with their establishing of an empire?
Ensuring that the Sun would never set upon it.
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If I should die this very moment I wouldn't fear For I've never known completeness Like being here Wrapped in the warmth of you Loving every breath of you
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fireworks_god
Sexy.Butt.McDanger



Registered: 03/12/02
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Quote:
fireworks_god said:
Quote:
lines said: What were they doing with their establishing of an empire?
Ensuring that the Sun would never set upon it. 
Reminded me of the movie Gladiator, when Maximus is discussing with the emperor, Marcus Aurelius (I remember Icelander posting some philosophy of this guy, he was a real emperor), when he said, in contrast to the rest of the dark world, "Rome is the light".
I think I would have preferred to live in Europe at the time of the Roman Empire than the time of the Catholic Empire. The tail-end of the American empire is definitely an interesting time though, one only wonders how it will be as national borders will slowly become transparent, and as Christianity slips further away.
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If I should die this very moment I wouldn't fear For I've never known completeness Like being here Wrapped in the warmth of you Loving every breath of you
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zouden
Neuroscientist



Registered: 11/12/07
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“What else, then, is all history, but the praise of Rome?”
One of my favourite quotes. From a founder of the Renaissance, Francesco Petrarca (1304–1374)
-------------------- I know... that just the smallest part of the world belongs to me You know... I'm not a blind man but truth is the hardest thing to see
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