Christopher Hitchens on the British Empire - Viewer Call-In Part 4 (1990)

[GonkNebraska]

I thought Fabio Capello couldn't speak English..

[sidvidkid]

@ 9:35

Anti-peopleism, otherwise known as socialism / statism / collectivism. A mental illness destroying the fabric of uk society.

[Sconezeta]

wow both of these guests are great and i could listen to them for hours!

[qtutoringhelps]

The British are anti-American; when I was in Wales, the question we encountered most often with a suspicious gaze, almost a frown: "Are you Americans?"

"No, we're Canadians."

"Oh, how lovely, how polite you Canadians are!"

[coltrane1966]

@qtutoringhelps It's not much fun being British when visiting Wales, I often feel very intimidated especially when visiting places like Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport.

I was surprised about the woman caller who mentioned the city of Bath, I live in Bath myself and many Americans like to come here. I would of thought Bath is the least anti-American of all.

[897667]

@coltrane1966 thats south wales for you

[qtutoringhelps]

The unintended benefits of British colonialism described at 7:32

[terrortorn]

The caller probably walked into a self service restaurant.

[jacksawild]

Let's face it. Americans can't piss their way out of a paper bag. Its friends have dried up along with its resources. During the time of their super powerdom its a good thing that they instituted legislations to protect their poorest citizens when the hard times bite... oh wait... they did the opposite of that. Oh well.

[Sirchud68]

America is the New Rome, The English are not. Eddie Izzard said so....

[SOS763]

Britain knows how to rule the world. USA doesn't. It's that simple. The American empire, if we can call it that, is a massive joke and viewed with disdain worldwide.

I don't fully agree with anti-American sentiments world wide, the USA is a damn good country, but British sensibility is lost on the American's and the enthusiastic nature for aggression and war.

[daisytuna11]

@TheLiberalKnight you're dumb as shit & racist lol fuck you imbecile

[blueray1969]

@daisytuna11 ooh potty-mouth! lol

[blueray1969]

@daisytuna11 who'se the imbecile, someone with an argument or your filthy mouth? loser

[TheLiberalKnight]

It's a fucking joke when you see comments like 'britain was evil their empire was built on rape murder and invasion' blah fucking blah, if you do your research, you'd know what utter bollocks that was, a lot of our empire was aquired by mistake, not through invasion.

[Oliiiverr]

Ah come on no bullshit okay? It's not a joke at all, I find it laughable that anyone would think that any empire in history wasn't built through murder and invasion etc and our empire was no different. An accident? the British army didn't trip and fall on india and they said 'or8 u can has our lands', they took it through force just like everything else.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Oliiiverr You've got it all wrong, because you believe American propaganda.

Britain formed her empire through trade, she had no desire to rule other people. India for example was an accident as far as the empire was concerned.

You clearly don't understand this colonial history. The reason we took most of our empire was to stop the French from getting it first. But overwhelmingly, the motivation was trade. Britian never set out to rule 1/4 of the planet.

[Mrparrot73]

@TheLiberalKnight The Amritsar Massacre was also an accident. A little known fact is that bullets made of chocolate and butter were fired on the crowd on special orders from the British crown that wanted to thank Indians for their contribution to WW-1. The crowd didnt realise this and thought they were real bullets. A stampede followed and 1000 people died.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Mrparrot73 I can't wait until America loses it's super power status. Just five years more to wait, everyone. We won't have to put up with disgusting Christian inbreds running the largest economy any more. Have your fingers crossed :D

[Mrparrot73]

@TheLiberalKnight Five more years...ha ha ...dream on.. Fool, Britain depends on the American military for its very existence. The American military protects Britain, Canada and Australia. Every Brit should smooch an American boot and say thank you 50 times a day.

If America loses its superpower status, Britain will lose more be all your status in the world is that of favorite poodle of a superpower. In 5 years, Britain will probably be down to 3rd rate power from 2nd rate. Thats more certain

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Mrparrot73 Five more years- that is what the IMF are saying.

Britain depends on America for it's existence... why? Who is going to attack us, exactly? If Britain were attacked, it would be France or Germany to help out, not the states. Every country in Europe hates the USA.

You are a fool sury, do you really think any European country gives a shit that we are unimportant internationally? We focus domestically now, we've tried ruling the world and got bored with it.

[Mrparrot73]

@TheLiberalKnight grapes are sour. No one gets tired of ruling the world. Macedonia is also tired of ruling the world. So is Rome. If you have the power, rule the world. Do it, lets see...

Britain has no independent status today. Its entire international status derives from its status of favorite poodle to America.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Mrparrot73 At least we did rule the bloody world. Nobody could stand up to us, not even the Russians.

What about America? They don't rule the world. They cannot threaten the Chinese, or Russians, or the EU. That is the difference between a hyper power, like the British or Roman Empire, or a mere super power, like the USA.

We are 100% independent from you. France or Germany has more influence in Britain than America does. Obama has already destroyed the special relationship anyway.

[Mrparrot73]

@TheLiberalKnight LOL! America doesnt have influence in Britain. America commands Britain. The word influence is not appropriate here. Influence is the extent to which one country is taken seriously in another.

The word does not apply to America and its wholly owned subject nation: Britain. America just needs to point to its crotch and Britain will comply.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Mrparrot73 You just keep telling yourself that ;-)

[asdasdasdfdfd333]

@Mrparrot73 That's a pretty idiotic statement. I don't think anyone listens to the americans these days, not even the 3rd world lol.

[Mrparrot73]

@asdasdasdfdfd333 Say whatever you want but ever since Churchill declared himself a lieutenant of Roosevelt before British Parliament, Britain has been Americas butler. Fortunately, I just read a Bloomberg report that says droves of Brits have queued up to be butlers to rich families in China and Russia. So looks like that butler experience helped!

[ketsan]

@Mrparrot73 The British East India Company started out as butlers to the Mugals. If you have a British bulter you have a palace coup in the waiting.

[N64isgreat]

@Mrparrot73 you'd love to think that wouldn't you, imperialist?

[bongoloid77]

Lol... could you imagine Regan going on a Question Time style program??? It would certainly show how senile and incapable he always was.

[mwillis1000]

Britain is truly great!

[HipPriest]

Brian Lamb is the biggest G of all time

[harj2009]

Hahah how wrong this prick was britian still hates europe...the english continued to dance to washingtons tune in the first gulf war,afghanistan,the iraq invasion and libya.christopher is an idiot and does not know what he is talking about a fake intellectural

[bongoloid77]

@harj2009 I'd like to see you debate him you cunt

[shtfrun2thehills]

@harj2009 Who do you think writes the music for Washingtons 'tune'? mmmm, lets see where the money is going? I wish people would look a bit deeper instead of thinking about each war, election.... and see who is gaining long term

[comanchio1976]

@harj2009 So what if he wrongly predicted the future, the weather's impossible to predict accurately and human nature/events even more so.

Oh, and if you're going to criticize someone's **intellectual** credentials, you'd look like less of a dick if you'd just spell the word correctly.

[harj2009]

@comanchio1976 uh oh the spelling polishce

the weather is easy to predict AHAHHAHAH u crazy fool

[CelticAngloPress]

Fellow Scotsmen here

Anyone else have a hard time paying attention to the rest of the discussion after that first bloke got owned oh so fucking hard, that was cold as fuck, well played good sir, well fucking played indeed.

That just made my bloody day.

[jimbob1969]

how wrong he is here, a rare moment

[rugbyboy198127]

as if mate - it was always known as the english empire, the british name came in very late as some sort of last hurrah attempt to appease the people - british empire was never used in the older times! we may have had the idea about being british rammed down our throats but guess what? the rest of the world hasn't, so when someone inadvertently refers to us as english empire dont jump down his throat, pause, reflect, acknowledge it did indeed used to be so and... get over it man - it's rude/agro!

[123jataylor]

@rugbyboy198127 Whilst England was often used as a term for England, Wales and Scotland, theres no doubt that the Empire was always known as the British Empire after the Act of Union.

[CelticAngloPress]

@123jataylor

Were British Together internationaly but ethnically celtic/anglo ie Scottish/Irish/Manx/Welsh/Engl­ish/Cornish etc etc

We can use it inter changabley and we do and thats why everyone gets confused and do not know the difference between England and Britian, Britain and the United Kingdom and the fact that the Monarchy is mostly made up of everyone expectially Scotland/England/Wales

[123jataylor]

@CelticAngloPress who cares if theyre confused?

[CelticAngloPress]

@rugbyboy198127 Hey none of that nonsense, lets not get all chavish

The United Monarchy was started by King James, a Scottish King and he wrote the English's favorite bible the King James bible for the protestants (though I was raised Catholic I still think thats awsome, were all cultural Christians screw the secretarians) and he also designed and came up with the British Union Jack which was original only the Scottish and English flag that later included northern Ireland

Wales will be add soon

[CelticAngloPress]

@CelticAngloPress

Oh and before King James united us, Englands last ruling Dynasty where the Tudors, whome where a Welsh dynasty / family.

Our history is second to none, though our French cousins have an Amazing back and forth history with us as well and I do love and respect them (though yes Scotland was closer to them then England traditionaly but then again England always was also closer to portugal)

Second to none mate, second....to none, celebrate that.

[rugbyboy198127]

@CelticAngloPress what else should one expect of someone going by the name of 'celtic-anglo' press - if you knew what little either of those terms has to do with Britain and our history you really wouldn't use them so! and absolute balls to 'cultural' christians - i refute that term with everything that I am! my 'culture', my sense of moral fibre, my fortitude all come from my 'Britishness' which has survived inspite of christianity, not thanks to it! I'm not 'religious' about anything, cont....

[rugbyboy198127]

@CelticAngloPress but I recognise the struggle against opression which is represented so vividly by protestant christianity and see these beings as my true brothers and it is this ideology which most closly abides with the ancient and fair sense of morailty held by the true British/Irish! By the way I believe Wales is intended to be represented by the red lines running at an angle on the union jack, the powers that be will never accept the dragon unfortunately! And I don't use words such as chav

[Frenchloki]

@CelticAngloPress Secretarians? Are they some sort of secretaries' union? 

[comanchio1976]

@Frenchloki I think they are a race of secretaries from the planet Secretaria, who sent missionaries to Earth in the 1930's to help beleaguered executives manage their commitments...and colonise the planet with their offspring from their clandestine relationships.

[Frenchloki]

@comanchio1976 That explains some of the very weird beliefs being expounded on this page.......

[Tostig68]

Jeez guys, stop trolling. This was an intelligent debate and demands intelligent responses, not boorish mud-slinging. You should know better.

[HULLOHULLO15]

I really wish that Americans, I appreciate that not all, of course not all, do this, would stop referring to Great Britain as 'England': it's made up of FOUR countries, all of which have separate identities and customs.

[GuerrillaSauce]

@HULLOHULLO15

Great Britain is made up of THREE countries.

"The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" adds the fourth.

Perhaps some 'Yanks' think of England or 'Britain' as separate from Scotland, have no knowledge of Wales or the distinction between Ireland and Northern Ireland... but then there are 50 United States of America and they all get lumped together as 'Americans', and there are two 'Americas' with the USA only being part of one.

Don't be so pedantic.

[HULLOHULLO15]

@GuerrillaSauce It's not about being precise or not, it's the basic lack of knowledge that is inconceivably annoying. Great Britain, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, could not function without the contribution by each member nation.

[rugbyboy198127]

@GuerrillaSauce erm they single handedly funded the ira for best part of last century so they must think they know something about ireland and the troubles ;)

[rugbyboy198127]

@HULLOHULLO15 until 1920 uprising etc the whole of britain was known as england, when shakespeare talks of england he talks of geographcical great britain and ireland as it was known throughout history... are you up to date with the changing names of countries around the world? one could argue that it was arrogant to expect people from other countries to be totally up to date with the politicall correct terms for other countries.... just saying don't be so quick to have a go ;)

[santana26491]

@rugbyboy198127 Rubbish. Only self-centred englishmen and foreigners erroneously referred to it as England. How the hell is it politically correct to ask people to get the bloody name right?!

[Setzer]

"I've been banned by at this station by Brian Lamb for the past 2 years and--"

"And you're banned now"

LMAO

[susieQ4000]

christopher looks just gorgeous here

[louiseiiid]

beautiful Christopher

[zsezse215]

About why the woman wasn't served. People hate service jobs. Most people are not suited to dealing with the public. British and American manufacturing have gone to China. The attitude of a lot of people is "tourists go home". philipnute com

[thepigofhappiness]

@zsezse215 I just wonder whether she was in a bar/restaurant where you order at the bar, which is what you do in a great many places in England

[IloveJesusYesId0]

@crazyboyxx I'm Atheist and you don't make any sense.

[ofcoursehesthefarmer]

'But bear in mind that there's a certain standard of rudeness that the British observe among themselves' Ha ha.

[scottishchap2008]

the lunatic left (fabian socialists, communists) has destroyed the UK and turned us into a island of rude, lazy parasites that live off the government and against america not because of the wars but because they believe in small government and not cradle to grave socialism

[PossessDismiss]

@scottishchap2008 Us Americans don't believe in small government, we believe in letting corporations run the government for us.

[majesticalps]

Britishers must enter hell in droves. Shameless thieves and rapists. All power to America. Pummel England into the irrelevant shithole it always deserved to be. 

[jerryhello100]

@majesticalps pff, what a douche

[se1muscle]

@majesticalps There is no term as the 'Britishers'. You need to be better informed.

[WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1]

@majesticalps

It must pain you to really on ENGLISH as a language. And look a map you thick fuck. I think you'll find that 'England' is not a substitute for the UK. Why don't you go and get your fat ass down to a KFC where you can shoot the clientele with one of your 5 guns.

[AnonymousWhitePerson]

Richard Critchfield is an obsequious sycophant.

He feigns to bow before the foreign Queen of this tiny miniscule island in the North Sea.

[happyfred3]

@AnonymousWhitePerson I don't know what to make of that comment, are you attacking Britain or Critchfield or both?

[hydrokido]

@AnonymousWhitePerson tiny but conqured 1/3 of this world noob

[SketchyBack]

@AnonymousWhitePerson Haha the first industrialized nation in the world, the great empire, the mother of America, the birthplace of Magna Carta, still the 2nd country in Europe by population... are you sure you aren't thinking of Iceland?

[IloveJesusYesId0]

@SketchyBack

The great slave empire..

[WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1]

@IloveJesusYesId0

I think you will find the British were the first great power to ABOLISH SLAVERY. In fact we actively policed international waters against it..... long before the Emancipation Proclamation in the US

[IloveJesusYesId0]

@WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1 Well whatever, luckily sane people won that battle eventually. But every slave owner should have hung or been jailed for life.. It's not like we have a bunch of truly good people on this planet.. But it was the greatest slave empire before those few strong good human beings stopped it..

The Americas had slaves because of Britain's example ffs..

And soon enough British citizens will be slaves to their state, just not based on race, but their elite status.. Have fun..

[smoochym]

@IloveJesusYesId0 slave trading has been around since the beggining of history, many ancient civilizations depended on it - to say that people are following a British example is just absurd. Whats more, some historians estimate the arab slave trade to have trafficked more humans than the transatlantic one, which it should be noted also included Spain, Portugal and France.

[IloveJesusYesId0]

@smoochym "Haha the first industrialized nation in the world, the great empire, the mother of America, the birthplace of Magna Carta, still the 2nd country in Europe by population"

Look, I was responding to this comment.. I'll call Britain whatever the fuck is true of it, the great slave empire suits it just fine..

Fuck you, nationalist or arrogant shit for brains that you are, either way you are nonsense personified.

You pay attention to .0001% of history and think you know reality..

[IloveJesusYesId0]

@smoochym These mother fucking devil states who begin and end in the blood of innocents are all scum..

Yeah some are better than others.. Like I give a fuck about you pointing out all the good shit in the world..

You Are The Old, Dying, Lonely Voices. You, If One Or Billions, Are Dust And Your Ideas Are Garbage.

Reality, Truth, Justice. These things matter and are concrete in any truly thinking mind. This animal world and all the ignorance and suffering destroy my faith in anything daily.