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All countries have the capacity to be bullies.
BIGGER countries (such as the European super powers) have more capacity to be a bully.
France, Portugal, Spain, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Belgium and Holland are among those in EUROPE who built up Empires. Even Italy had a go in the 1930s by which time it was too late.
The purpose of the Empires was not to enrich Dutch East Indies, India, Algeria, Argentina or Brazil.
All empires operate for the benefit of the "centre"..........London, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon.
Essentially the Americans in WW2 insisted on the disbandment of Empires and the post colonial nations that emerged 1945-1965 are due to that
Some British still havent forgiven the Americans for that. And the force of British Imperial rhetoric ("the mother country") was emphasised by how little respect was mutual in London, Bradford, Birmingham etc.
The role of the British working class in Empire has I believe never been fully looked at. There is a tendency to believe the private soldier was as much a victim as the colonised. Nonsense. He was encouraged by Empire to believe that whatever his lowly status he was at least better than the Hottentots, Indians and Jamaicans.
Britain sees its colonial past in political terms.
Some (Guardian reading beardy types) might want to visit every former colony to say "Sorry, we were evil"
Others including retired majors in Tunbridge Wells will feel it was a good thing, pragmatic and no aplogy necessary.
The usual semi literate semi feral people like Smithfield Meat Porters......in so far as any of their views are coherent.........believe its "political correctness gone maaaaaaaaaaaad".
So the legacy of Empire exists in East London, West Midlands, South Bradford and North Leicester.
No sympathy from me for any post colonial hand wringing or chauvinistic flag waving.
You reap what you sew.
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