Niall Ferguson - Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World - Maxim Force 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 five: Maxim Force

The 'Scramble for Africa' by competing European nations during the last years of Queen Victoria's reign is the compelling tale of this programme. We learn how 10,000 independent African kingdoms became 40 European colonies over the course of two decades, in a drastic redrawing of the map. Indeed, by 1900 Britain owned half of Africa.

No longer dominated by moral and religious concerns, this new era was about power and the economy as the battle for raw materials progressed. Power was in the hands of bankers and industrialists such as Rothschild and Cecil Rhodes, as illustrated by their use of the new Maxim guns to keep any opponents in check. By this stage it was businessmen doing the colonising and not governments.

This was a time when young men from elite schools were sent to work in the colonies, with the sports fields of England used as training grounds for a career in the army. Images of heroes overcoming the native warriors were very popular. Archive film from this period, of battles such as Omdurman in Sudan, illustrate the power of British military tactics and show a complete disregard for supposedly inferior races. The Boer war and subsequent treatment of the Boers brought a moral backlash in Britain that signalled a new era for the British empire.

Category:

Education

Tags:

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

[William00048]

@Kelthuzad126 The US likes to say the Brits were the first to use Concentration Camps in the Boar War but it was the US that was the first and used as a matter of course. 1830s Native Americans, in Cuba in the 1868 - 78 war and later in 1898 1901 in the Philippines.

[grimaces]

If you're just interested in mudslinging here's one for you. Irelands seccession from the empire in 1921 was after the US the first breakaway state but more significant when in reference to the British Empire's break up because it paved the way for other countries to follow suite. The Indians often referred to the Irish example. Anyway hadn't the English placed their own self perceived greatness above normal human common sense both countries might have stayed. You designed your fall.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@grimaces The British American civil war (which is what it really was) did not mark the end of the British Empire. It marked the beginning.

[TheLiberalKnight]

@fsstogre My dear Canadian friend, we can't go around Afghanistan burning down the cities. It's politically inept.

[Versus1984]

@fsstogre

"They don't even use Napalm anynore"

Why should they? They have phosphorous bombs, and fuel bombs, and cluster munitions. Quite more effective than the old Napalm.

[grimaces]

@Allyness92

Not quite Irish shit. The 9 years war made reference to was led by two chieftains O'Neill and O'Donnell who garnered successive victories over two elizabethan armies. Eventually they were defeated at battle of Kinsale. Scorch and earth policy was normal British preactice at this time. If you're really interested in history you can check it up.

[fsstogre]

@JohnnyH1982 ,, counter- insurgency warfare is all the same .. If Nato did what the British did in the boer war they would win .. Protected villiages , scorched earth policy , 500,000. troops in country, 50 km long sweep lines .. But those things don't happen anymore . They don't even use Napalm anynore .. British did win the counter-insurgentcy war in Malaya with some of those tactics ..

[JohnnyH1982]

@fsstogre theres a difference mate between the 19th century Boers and 12th century Radical Islamists a huge one.

[fsstogre]

Thanks for posting these videos .. Good documentary ...

[fsstogre]

The British won the Boer war using those tactics .. Do the same thing in Afganistan and you will win that war ..