Niall Ferguson - Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World - Why Britain? 4/5

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

[panzercat1939]

India is obviously the most civilized country in the world or they would have killed every Englishman that set foot on their soil.Much to polite as a society.

[therahulrs]

@buldhana coz we might be great traders, great soldiers and great artisans but we are still brown skinned !!

[gotsda]

@panzercat1939 Im sure if they had the power of looking into the future they would have.

[totalwarfan1000]

fuck you! At least I have a dick you fag!

[Propylnitrite]

@totalwarfan1000 Will you provide the magnifying glass you stupid Yankee thicko!

[totalwarfan1000]

Hey @panzercat why dont you go fuck yourself! America is the true superpower in the world. Why dont you come over to my house so you can suck my made in America dick!

[existentialvoid]

@ValiantVendetta the key is that there was no india then - India is the Indo-British merger. Mugal, Marata, Mysore. . .India was not united.

[existentialvoid]

@TheLiberalKnight then everyone will hate china. . .

[existentialvoid]

@panzercat1939 lol, no.

[Moony697]

I'm fed up with the way he says 'empire' :'emPAAARRRRRR'

[danimayb]

@panzercat1939 But they didn't thank god! Otherwise there would have been a far less enriched Empire, And by the time world war 1 & 2 came along.. Mush of the world would be speaking German right now!

I don't care Americans say or anyone else, The might of the empire (Including the massive input from India) Saved the worlds asses from the Nazis! It got spent up, broken down and totally dissolved during those wars... And played a vital role in holding them back.