The British Empire — positive or negative effects?
If we have a look at all those countries which have one day been a part of the British Empire, it is not only important to know them and which influence is still noticeable in these countries today but also which impact the British Empire has had on them. Can only negative effects be identified or are there still some positive effects that can be mentioned and ascribed positively to the British? One opinion is held until today that the British Empire has been a dreadful mistake in history and that this is the reason why they still keep apologising for it or depicting it in a negative way in English history lessons in school as an article on The Telegraph describes (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6251398/Michael-Palin-British-Empire-was-not-wicked.html). As the journalist highlights, there are many positive effects, for instance, an improvement of communication, new infrastructure such as transport routes and the establishment of an access to the rest of the world mainly through the English language. These arguments, in my view, only depict the progresses and improvements from our European world view whereas the African or, more general, the colonies’ world view may differ. I can imagine that there has been a great cultural shock for the inhabitants of the colonies when they were confronted with the European political models and progresses. The British have often forced their European models on the different cultures they have found in the new territories. Therefore, the question remains in how far these ‘improvements’ really deserve that term with regard to the destruction of the colonies’ traditions, politics and cultural systems.
In contrast to this view, The Guardian has published an article which describes the negative effects the British Empire has had on their colonies including “Slavery, famine, prison, battle, murder, extermination” (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/19/end-myths-britains-imperial-past). These two articles already illustrate the different views which the people of our generation have formed on the subject of the British Empire. Both of them have their arguments and depend definitely on the point of view. Therefore, the question needs to be resolved by each one for him- or herself also considering whether the positive achievements on the side of the British or the negative effects on the colonies’ cultures predominate.
