Niall Ferguson - Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World - Why Britain? 5/5

Historian and presenter Niall Ferguson takes us on a fascinating journey in both time and space to explore the impact of the British empire on the modern world. From the earliest British settlers in Virginia to the decline of the empire in the aftermath of the two World Wars, positive and negative aspects of the empire are illustrated through key events and players.

Niall Ferguson uses a wealth of original sources such as quotes, documents, film footage and photographs, as well as taking a contemporary look at key locations and drawing parallels with recent history, such as the USA's war against terrorism.

The series is highly entertaining, informative and thought-provoking, and provides an excellent and balanced overview of the British empire and its continuing legacy in the world.

Part one: Why Britain?

In this programme we learn about the origins of the British empire in the 17th century and how its foundations were laid, not by a grand political strategy but by British pirates, especially in the Caribbean. The British economic style of reinvesting in places like Jamaica led to commercial success as its raw materials sugar, tobacco and coffee were in huge demand back at home in Britain.

Seventeenth-century India was a rich nation, producing a quarter of the world's output, so it is no surprise that the major nations fought over it. The British won the seven-year war with France over supremacy in the colonies, thanks to its superior warships and much stronger finances, which left Britain as the controlling force in India.

We get a glimpse of how the British lived in India, the central role played by the East India Company, and how a commercial base developed into political control.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• niall
• ferguson
• empire
• britain
• made
• modern
• world

[davepx]

The 1770 famine didn't "coincide" with the Company's takeover: the looting of Bengal's treasury by Clive & his lieutenants left the province unable to distribute food as had been done in past crises. But Ferguson doesn't want to say how great empire's real costs were, he'd rather swank around a few stately homes: so much nicer than blaming millions of deaths on the empire he hankers after.

[superCatia]

Excellent documentary. Thanx for posting!

[gotsda]

@GustaveLeBon1841 Face up to a Nefarious history? I think giving up our Empire to defeat another Empire that could execute people for being a made up "race".

I think we've given our apology with blood.

In comparison the deaths caused by the British are nothing in Comparison those caused by the USA even today in Afghanistan.

Britain wasn't a euphoric place to live for anyone except the rich, but nowhere is.

TL;DR The Documentary is about how the UK shaped the modern world, not just its history.

[existentialvoid]

@davepx assigning straight up blame is equally poor.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@GustaveLeBon1841

All Latin American cities had shanty towns around them. Apart from Cuba. I do not see any in Australia, NZ, USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Falklands, etc.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@GustaveLeBon1841

South America is a basket case - democracy is alien to them.

The British spread democracy and civilization throughout the world, more than any people in history. They catapulted the world into a technical and industrial level unsurpassed. The British made the modern world. Do not put the British in the same category as the Spanish, who left behind a shambles.

[GustaveLeBon1841]

@NearAbbeyRoad

"democracy is alien to them". By the way, wake up, its 2011, not 1978. There is not a single South American dictatorship, to be disputed whether Venezuela is an autocracy or democracy. The British policies to SA in 19th Century were terrible: making sure the countries bickered amongst themselves, occupying colonies like the Falklands, bombing ports when it suited. Britain has to face up to its nefarious history. They hate Brits much more than Spaniards, wonder why.

[GustaveLeBon1841]

@NearAbbeyRoad

Jee, I think South America is much better than Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Pakistan or Uganda, to name a few ex-British colonies. Even Cuba is better than Jamaica, which is a basket case. You can't cherrypick the ex-colonies you want to show off. The problem with History as a subject being controlled by Oxbridge is that the Brits continue to have a "White Man's Burden" view to history.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@Theinnocentbot Absoloutely right. Why should our children be told that their history is so terrible? Why is it that the vile communists blame everything wrong in Africa on Britain, when we needn't take any of the blame whatsoever? Why is it that we blame ourselves for being so evil, when we delivered so much good? I'm sick of being told to apologize for our glorious empire. Regretfully, many people died. But we have improved the lives of even more people across the globe.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@davepx Keep on believing the American propaganda, you traitor. Why don't you emigrate to America, as you want to beat up your own country so much?

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@GustaveLeBon1841

The "genocide" you talk of in the USA was not by the British but the Americans, which had a large German, and others, population. The British were not in charge in the USA. Look at Canada which the Brits controlled. Very different.

Look at South America - a shambles. Democracy is alien to them. It would have been better if the Brits controlled South America - they would have been far better off.

[GustaveLeBon1841]

Conceited and self-serving Englishman. Has Niall ever visited South America? The magnificent Spanish architecture and Cathedrals still stand. It was not only about plunder. And in spite of diseases and slavery the local population still remains. You cannot say that about the USA, where there was a complete genocide.