blind_dead_mcjones said:
penicillin, the jet engine, the internet, computers, telephone, electricity, flight, combustion engine, the TB vaccine. Im sure these were all ideas stolen by the oppressive white man. Nearly half the places were used to dump convicts? I'm guessing you mean Australia and then thought that one in god knows how many must mean half? Also i don't think these people INVENTED clean water and education.
These backwater countries have been destroying themselves for thousands of years, long before the crusades etc. If i am correct it was those who came here first,pillaging and destroying before the crusaders drove them back.
Which Commonwealth countries arent doing well? I cant remember the last time a suicide bomber or car bomb blew up in Ontario, Wellington, Sydney, Mumbai, Los Angeles. It seems to me that they live in their "constitutional monarchies" (and which are still democratic, and for all intents and purposes the Queen has no power over them) quite peacefully with their neighbours. Look at Egypt, one of the largest stable democracies in Africa which was a former British colony. South Africa now has peace (don't mention the Boers - that isnt a result of the British, it was Dutch settlers).
These other countries have been destroying themselves for millenia, not just a few hundred years as you put it. Tribes from Africa would come up into Europe and enslave entire villages before taking them back to their own hell holes throughout the Greek and Roman Empires.
Whilst the British Empire wasnt always good, it brought infrastructure, hospitals, roads, schools etc to many parts of the world. It fought back against the Nazis, Napoleon, Bismarks armies. It abolished the slave trade and introduced many parts of the world to the french idea of democracy. Instead of looking at those who died, look if you can at those who have lived because of it. Those who have had chance to go to school etc.
Whilst I can see that we aren't very likely to see eye to eye please don't piss in my bucket and tell me its raining when you say these countries would be better without us. They need countries like GB, France and USA because without someone steering them in the Humane direction they will continue to oppress and fight amongst themselves like they have for as long as they have existed. They are backwards countries who feel that murder is OK, women are a mans possession and that by blaming everything on everyone else they will get by. Sorry Once people like yourself wake up, stop apologising for everything and realise it isn't all flowers and peaceful singing around a fire, the world will move forward.
