WHAT EXACTLY HAS THE WORLD EVER DONE FOR BRITAIN?

King of Reason said:
Speaking of representation, I was wondering if you could explain the modern Parliament to me a little, as I've not studied it. One thing I know that American colonists disagreed with Parliament was the extent of its representation - a concept known as "virtual representation." The Americans had set up local governments operating under the principle of what they called "actual representation." Does the modern Parliament (at least Commons) represent the whole of England, Wales, Scotland, and N. Ireland fairly well these days, or is there still a bit of a disconnect?
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Here is something to be getting on with, strangely enough it is from a French website.

http://lve.scola.ac-paris.fr/anglais/ukpoliticalsystem.php
 
charver said:
The thing is...people tend to hate states/people/teams etc. that are successful.

Everybody hates the Americans at the minute (although to be honest one or two of you are actually quite nice), everybody used to hate the English but we haven't been very successful recently and have been living off past glories for the last half century. Give it another 50 years and people will merely think of us in the same way they think of Belgium or a doddery old maiden aunt, sitting alongside France in a geriatric ward arguing over who gets to use the pisspot first. You can smile America but it will come to you soon enough.

Anyway, here's to the future, where we can all unite to hate the fecking Chinese. Arseholes.
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Me thinks it all ready tis. Nothing is for ever and were showing all the signs of decline of all great empires, over extending our selves militarily, an economy based on investment and not production, gross economic inequities between the upper and lower economic classes, major disconnects between the ruling political classes and the governed just to name a few.

In a way, I don't care if the USA stays the worlds super power. the UK may no longer be a super power but for the average Britt the standard of living and quality of life is better then it's ever been so big whoop, right? Same here, as long as we retain our autonomy, security and prosperity, I don't care if we are a super power or not.
 
King of Reason said:
Britain's development of political philosophy is a crucial element of American life since the Revolution. Cato's Letters and Real Whig Ideology, the writings of John Locke and Richard Hooker, English Common Law and Constitutional Principles (the latter of which was a huge part of the education of our John Adams growing up). No society since the fall of Rome can claim to have given more to the field of political science than Great Britain. While the US did add some of its own ideas onto these, its real success wasn't in developing them, but in selling them to the rest of the Western world.
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Those are all very good points but I think you've failed to point out the political influence the Iroquois League had on American political philosophy, mainly it's egalitarianism and meritocracy which was utterly absent from European enlightenment philosophies which were still largely based on class.
 
tom prendergast said:
Britain was the most benign of all the empires, if you don't think that is true then look at the history of the Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Belgians and Germans with empire. The USA has hardly covered itself with glory with its treatment of indigenous populations or the way it supported tinpot dictators in South or Central America for so long.
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That's a fairly specious argument as for a great period of time British/American treatment of indigenous North American natives were one and the same. I mean if British rule was so benign why did the majority of Indian nations side with the French during the 7 Years War?
 
Mott the Hoople said:
That's a fairly specious argument as for a great period of time British/American treatment of indigenous North American natives were one and the same. I mean if British rule was so benign why did the majority of Indian nations side with the French during the 7 Years War?
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Because everyone wants to sleep with the French.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
That's a fairly specious argument as for a great period of time British/American treatment of indigenous North American natives were one and the same. I mean if British rule was so benign why did the majority of Indian nations side with the French during the 7 Years War?
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There are many reasons why people take sides in a war, ignorance, bribery, self interest are high up there. French rule in Indo-China was not exactly a bed of roses for the indigenous populations and as for French Guyana, well have you seen Papillon?

Here are some quotes from an article about the British in India.

Many commentators give at least partial credit for India's economic success to the political institutions left in place by British colonialism. Fareed Zakaria, for instance, believes India "got very lucky" in that its first generation of post-independence leaders "nurture the best traditions of the British" including "courts, universities [and] administrative agencies."

Taken together, the moral of these studies could be that colonalism isn't great for a country's future political and economic wellbeing, but if a country is going to be colonized, they're better off with the British than the French. It's also very possible that the legacy of colonialism -- whether positive or negative -- manifests differently in national rather than local governance. Although on a purely anecdotal level, the French vs. British distinction seems to hold there as well.

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/11/16/how_helpful_was_british_colonialism
 
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sure the brits whine a lot, lost prestige and all. All he's probably asking for is a few dentist, hot chicks and a sense of humor. Maybe some tasty food.
 
Topspin said:
sure the brits whine a lot, lost prestige and all. All he's probably asking for is a few dentist, hot chicks and a sense of humor. Maybe some tasty food.
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Clearly we would not come to America with those questions, so no need for you to be concerned.
 
Lowaicue said:
Clearly we would not come to America with those questions, so no need for you to be concerned.
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really based on your country envy, does whiney England even have message boards? Or are the toothless blokes not really internet savy. Me thinks the latter.
 
Topspin said:
really based on your country envy, does whiney England even have message boards? Or are the toothless blokes not really internet savy. Me thinks the latter.
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Let me guess. That thought is your first ever, right?
 
Topspin said:
let me guess, your carless because your a fall down drunk and walking is safer?
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Sorry, you guess wrong. I am carless because I drove for most of my life (probably a good deal more than you) and am now much more fortunate than you in that I have no need for such a thing. We have very good taxis and private bus services. We live only a minute or two from beach, shops and restaurants and a taxi will take my wife and I to the theatre or cinema for no more than US20.00. I am not a slave to petrol prices, to insurance scams, to phone restrictions and I can do something you cannot do and that is read a book, write or watch TV while travelling.Oh, and travelling time is about the same and I dont have to park the vehicle!
So yes, my poor little yank. I am carless and very happy with the situation.
Anything else?
 
tom prendergast said:
Britain was the most benign of all the empires, if you don't think that is true then look at the history of the Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Belgians and Germans with empire. The USA has hardly covered itself with glory with its treatment of indigenous populations or the way it supported tinpot dictators in South or Central America for so long.
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Yeah, but I haven't posted a thread whining about how the rest of the world treats us and would say the same thing to anybody whining about how the US isn't given stuff.

Seriously, it is a sign of your success that the rest of the world isn't giving you charity. It isn't something to whine about, it is something to celebrate.
 
Damocles said:
Yeah, but I haven't posted a thread whining about how the rest of the world treats us and would say the same thing to anybody whining about how the US isn't given stuff.

Seriously, it is a sign of your success that the rest of the world isn't giving you charity. It isn't something to whine about, it is something to celebrate.
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The article wasn't about asking for charity but more recognition for Britain's achievements, Americans are always complaining about anti-Americanism so why shouldn't he do the same about anti-Britishism.
 
why would I go to that shithole, I'm not a third rate businessman who can't get a gig in his home country.
the Brits are decent at kickball, even if it's mainly a gay game
 
Topspin said:
why would I go to that shithole, I'm not a third rate businessman who can't get a gig in his home country.
the Brits are decent at kickball, even if it's mainly a gay game
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You are showing incredible ignorance. Why dont you simply google the place? BTW there is NO sport in the UK as 'kickball' do you have no one to ask before you post this claptrap?
 
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