British EmpireDominion, ColoniesTrusteeshipAnd other areas under British administrationinternational societyAnd the historians regard it as the largest colonial empire in the world history, with a ruling area of about 34 millionsquare kilometre。The British Empire wasGuinness World RecordsIt was identified as the largest empire in history.[1-2]
It is generally believed that the Glorious Revolution in 1688 overthrew the feudal rule in England, and the《Bill of Rights》China and IsraelLegal formThe royal power was clearly restricted and establishedConstitutional monarchy, providing Britain with unprecedented productivitymilitary strengthScience, technology and culture are developing rapidly.1763Seven Year WarAfter that, take the whole thing from FranceCanada, marking that Britain has become an undisputed maritime overlord.Defeated in 1815Napoleon Bonaparte Leadingthe First French Empire Later, he dominated international affairs for a century. This period was called "British governance".
In 1914, Britain participated inthe First World War。In 1921 after its victory, according to the former colony of Germany captured by the Paris Peace Conference, the territory area reached 34 million square kilometers, covering a quarter of the world's land. It is the largest country in the history of mankind, with territory coveringAntarcticaInsideSeven continents、Four oceansThere is always a place where the sun shines on the territory of the British Empire, so there is“The sun never sets”It is called.
The British Empire reached its peak at the beginning of the 20th century, after the First World WarTerritorial expansionTo the limit.And whenthe Second World WarAt the end of the war, the huge loss of Chinese power showed side effects, while the other twoSuperpowerThe United States andSoviet UnionThe rapid rise has divided up the existing interests of Britain and the worldnationalist movementThe rise of the British Empire, and the combined effect of a series of factors, led to the gradual disintegration of the British Empire, and finally transformed into today'sCommonwealth。
The "British Empire" is also known as the "British Empire", which was first proposed byElizabeth IThe Queen's astrologer and mathematicianJohn Dee (John Dee), his firstBritish royal familyThis concept is put forward.
1877[3], UKQueen VictoriaTo inheritMughal DynastyOfLegalityHe was formally crowned emperor, announcing the nominal birth of the "British Empire".stayBritish monarchDuring the period with the title of emperor, "British Empire" is the official name of the country, and the scope of "British Empire" (British Empire)Including but not limited toToday, the "United Kingdom" (Britain) in the usual sense is centered on the British mainland, including alloverseas possessions, ColoniesDominion, and even the global empire that controls the sea area. In its heyday around 1900, its territory reached 34.67 millionsquare kilometre, whileWorld War IIn 1921 after the victory, it reached its largest area ever, 35.5 million square kilometers.The Treaty of Versailles: The British Empire brought five autonomous dominions (CanadaAustralia、South Africa、New Zealand、India）Sign the contract.
English version
The country that signed the treaty: the British Empire
In 1947, the Emperor of the British EmpireGeorge VI, give upMughal DynastyThe title of emperor obtained by Legato, which allowed India to achieve peaceful independence, announced the end of the nominal "British Empire".However, from the "British Empire" to the United Kingdom today-federalKingdom state federal“Commonwealth”After a long evolution process of one century, the major colonies and autonomous dominions have finally become completely independent countries. They have close relations with the United KingdomNational dignityEquality.So far, the "British Empire", the largest colonial empire in history, has completely completed the peaceful disintegration and transformation.
As "the United Kingdom" is composed of“England”In Chinese, it is often called "Britain".The "British Empire" also originates from the "Britain" at its core, which is often called the "British Empire".
Since 1066, Franceduke of Normandy William IConqueredEnglandAfter that, add European medievalRelationship between church and state，EnglandHas been involved for hundreds of yearsContinental EuropeTransaction for.becauseNormanThe royal court andAnjou DynastySince all the monarchs came from France, the kings put a lot of energy into their French territory.By the end of the 14th century, the foreign trade developed from the wool trade with Europe had become the most important national policy of England.
This period was the beginning of England's foreign conquest, including the war in 1169IrelandThe conquest ofWelshExpansion of.In 1296, EnglandScotlandThe temporary control of the two regions was interrupted in 1314, and the real unification of the two regions would not take place until 1603 when Britain passedLaw of succession to the throneTo achieve peace.Although the monarch of England lost in 1204Normandy However, the rulers of England still owned a large area of French land through intermarriage and inheritance, until they defeated Britain and France in 1453Centennial WarFinally lostFranceLand.From then on until 1558EnglandThe monarch only owns strategic ports in northern FranceCalaisBut even the port of Calais has been lost since then.
Growth of overseas empires
Overseas British Empire, here refers to the British maritime exploration and immigration or colonization on the British Island and outside the European mainland.Its roots can be traced back to theHenry VIIPositiveOcean policy。
On the basis of the wool trade established by Richard III, Henry VII created the modern British maritime trade system and developed the BritishShipbuilding industryAndNavigation technology。This system also creates conditions for the establishment of future trade institutions, such asMassachusetts Bay Company andBritish East India CompanySomething like thatTrading enterprisesAnd made important contributions to the expansion of the British Empire overseas.Henry VII also orderedPortsmouthBuild the first in BritainDry dockStrengthening construction was still small at that timeRoyal Navy。
1587Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh in Roanoke Island, todayNorth CarolinaVirginia was declared a colony of England.But due to lack of food, bad weather, shipwreck and localaboriginesEngland soon had to give up the colony.
1588, positivethe tudors OfElizabeth IPeriod pairSpanish ArmadaWas officially establishedKingdom of EnglandAs a maritime hegemony, although the failure of the Spanish conquest in 1590 temporarily delayed the ambitious overseas colonial plan.1604Stuart DynastyOfJames IFinally, the London Treaty was signed with Spain, officially ending the hostility between the two countries.
But those who defeated SpainArmadaDoes not mean that Britain has replacedSpainBritain still has a long way to go.
England in Virginia in 1607JamestownEstablish the first permanent overseas colony.In the following three centuries, England continued to expand overseasSphere of influenceAnd consolidate domesticPolitical developments。England andScotlandThe parliament ofLondonMerging to form the Parliament of Great Britain.
Sugarcane richCaribbean RegionHighly dependent on slave work, it was the most important and profitable colony in early England.North AmericaThe colonies in the south supplied England with tobacco, cotton and rice, while the north produced fur;They are not as economically beneficial to England as Caribbean islands, but large tracts of arable land attract many English immigrants.
England's American Empire is gradually expanding through war and colonization, for example, throughAnglo-Dutch Wars England won New Amsterdam (i.eNew York）。EvolvingAmerican coloniesKeep exploring westward to find more arable land.Seven Year WarCentral England routedFrance, and occupied it in 1760New France All areas of the UKNorth AmericaControl over a larger area.
Then,Australia(became a British colony in 1788) andNew Zealand(became a British colony in 1840) became another destination for British immigrants, whileAustraliaandNew ZealandAs a result of war and disease, the number of indigenous people has also dropped by 60% to 70% in more than a century.These colonies later became autonomous and were exporters of wool and gold.
free trade
Original BritainColonial systemChanges began in the 18th century.stayWhig PartyPeople control China for a long timepolitical powerFrom 1714 to 1762, the empire became less important to Britain until a series of measures (mainly including collecting more taxes from the colonies) were taken to reverse the neglect of the coloniesAmerican Revolutionary War(1775-1783), making Britain lose its most populous colony BritishThirteen Colonies 。
This period is sometimes called the "First British Empire", that is, the expansion of Britain in America from the 17th to the 18th century.Since the 18th century, Britain hasAsiaandAfricaThe expansion of Britain was called the "Second British Empire".The loss of British control over the United States shows thatPolitical dominationIt does not necessarily have a decisive impact on Britain's economic profits: Britain is giving up its defense of American colonies andadministrative managementAfter that, it soon resumed its dominant role in American trade.
mercantilismIt is the theory of economics, which refers to the competition for wealth between countries. It is the first time for Britain to go overseasColonial expansionFeatures.But during the "Second British Empire" period, mercantilism soon gave way toAdam SmithLaissez faireEconomic liberalism。
The experience that Britain learned from the event of the independence of the North American colonies is that trade can bring economic prosperity even without colonial domination.That's why in the 1840s and 1850s Britain was willing to grant grants to people like BritishCanadaAnd BritishAustraliaWait for the white colonyDominionThe reason for their status is that the white people in these countries are regarded as the "motherland" people living in the colonies.And BritishIrelandIt has a completely different fate. In 1801, it was incorporated into the full name of“United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ”Britain.
During this period, Britain also announced its abolitionslave trade(1807), and soon imposed the ban on other countries.By the middle of the 19th century, Britain had basically eliminated the slave trade on a global scale.SlaveryThe British colony was abolished in 1834, and the situation did not take shape until around 1920stable state。
The old colonial andSlaveryThe end of the degree isfree tradeImplemented together, the principle of free trade reached its peak around 1840, marked by the revocation of the British《Cereal law》And《Navigation Act》。Free trade is completely openUK marketIt also prompted other countries to open their markets in the mid-19th century.
Some people will think that,free tradeThe rise of the British only reflects the economic status of Britain, and has nothing to do with any philosophical point of view.Indeed, Britain has always been more enthusiastic about forcing other countries to implement a certain policy than it is about implementing the same policy itself.Although Britain lost 13 American colonies, in 1815Continental EuropeupperNapoleon Bonaparte The final defeat of Britain established its world hegemony.stayindustrial revolutionWhen Britain becomes an indisputable economic power,Royal NavyIt dominates the ocean.Britain, which has always kept a distance from the affairs of the European continent, has also been able to implement an expansion plan aimed at expanding its economic and political influence. This overseas expansion is through free trade andStrategic advantagesBuild an "informal empire" (Palmerston, the most outstanding British diplomat in the heyday of the British EmpireLord, with the British Empire as the world's first powergunboat policyControl the implementation of the sea with naval forceFree trade policyEstablish an invisible business empire and implement a continental balance policy on the European continent).For example, China and Persia (formerlyIran）It was included in the "informal empire". Under the threat of British force, the governments of these countries were forced to open their markets and had to unconditionally grant British privileges.The expansion of the empire and the "informal empire" facilitated Britain's access to raw materials from all over the world, and thus made more goods to be shipped to all over the world.
From 1815congress of vienna By 1870Franco-Prussian War Britain is the only industrialized power in the world, 30% of the worldindustrial product(1870).As“World Factory”Britain is able to produce industrial products so effectively and massively that the price of its domestic products is still more competitive than that of products produced locally in foreign countries after being transported to foreign countries.As long as the political situation in its overseas markets is stable, Britain can still benefit from free trade, even without the implementation of formal colonial rule.
1870s to 1914World War IDuring the outbreak period, the policy of European colonial expansion andideologyIt is called "new imperialism".During this period, the most obvious trend was that European powers were "empires for the sake of empires", competing overseas for and consolidating their colonies.
During this period, the total area of overseas colonies of European powers reached 23 millionsquare kilometre。AfricaUntil the 1880s, few Europeans set foot, but during this period Africa became the main target of the imperialists.But expansion is also very frequent in other regions, especially inSoutheast AsiaandEast Asiacoastal areas: In these regions, the United States andJapanAlso joinCompete for coloniesIn the ranks of.
In 1875, it was considered that Britain entered the new eraThe Age of ImperialismOfwatershed, this yearBenjamin Disraeli The British government led byEgyptRulerIsmail(Ismail) Buy in handSuez CanalShares.Since then, Britain has consolidated this policyIndiaControl of the canal, whose trade has a significant impact.In 1882, the struggle between Britain and France for the territory of Egypt ended in the victory of the British.
yesRussian EmpireThe fear of gradually expanding southward from 1828 to threaten British colonial rule in India also affected British policy: British control in 1878CyprusAs protectionOttoman EmpireTheir stronghold;Before that, Britain also participated in theCrimean War, and invadeAfghanistan。All this is to stopRussiaFurther southward expansion.Britain launched three campaignsAfghanistan War, 1842The First British Arab WaryesVictorian PeriodThe most painful military failure suffered by BritainBritish troopsAfghanistan supported by RussiaPashtun(Pashtun) People are defeated.In the second British Arab War in 1880, the British army was defeated in KandaharKabulThey were surrounded and finally retreated to India.1919The Third British Arab WarIt caused the uprising of Afghan tribes.
At the same time, many influential politicians and businessmen in Britain regard the formal empire as extremely important, especially inworld marketFor British goods whose share is declining.In the 1890s, Britain wholeheartedly adopted a new policy, which soon became tropicalAfricaAn important plunderer of the colony.
The war in South Africa in 1899-1902 was a new war for BritainImperialismAs a typical example of the period, although the British army soon occupied Transvaal, 400000 imperial soldiers were involved in the war in order to suppress the resistance of the Boer people, which cost 250 million pounds at the same time.Domestic public opinion began to doubt the necessity of overseas expansion, and Britain began to shrink its strategy.Some people think that the government isCecil Rhodes The leader has the influence of the big gold mine owner in Transvaal, so this war is carried out.This is also why the "imperialism" that prevailed later“capitalism”To provide evidence.
The incentive for Britain to adopt the new imperialist policy may be to seek a larger overseas market for British products and investment, or it can also be seen as a strategic pre emptive measure to prevent the existing trade channels from being damaged by other powers, or to prevent other countries from gaining more export markets under the increasingly closed international trade situation.In any case, everything is for the rise of other powersinternational environment To maintain their hegemonic position.Early 1900Joseph Chamberlain Attempts totrade barrierThe amendment of the bill met with great opposition and was finally forced to give up, which shows how British people still support the principle of free trade even when British interests are damaged.
stayIndiaOfColonialismThe evolution process of the Western countries before the era of new imperialism is enough to warn us thatcapitalismThe economic competition among the powers was regarded as the only reason for Britain to strengthen its colonial control.India officially became a part of Britain in 1858 to consolidate British rule over IndiaSepoy Mutiny And one of the reasons for the uprising was that the traditional forces in India opposed the BritishIndian subcontinentMany modern policies.
1757Battle of Plassey The victory ofBritish East India CompanygetIndiaThe People's Republic of BangladeshThe governance of the state, although the famine worsened in 1770 due to the over taxation of the state, caused controversy in Britain.In the mid-19th century, the East India Company had almost controlled all of India.After the Indian uprising in 1857, the territory under the jurisdiction of the company was transferred to the British government for direct management.Queen VictoriaIn 1876, she was declared the Queen of India.
Ceylon（Sri Lanka）、MyanmarAnd Malaya were also included in Britain's sphere of influence in Asia.In 1842, after the first Opium War between China and Britain, Britain occupied ChinaHong Kong。
Britain's interest in China originated at the end of the 18th century, when Britain became ChinaTeaThe importing country of.The import of tea has led to a hugetrade deficitTherefore, Britain hopes to balance its spending by exporting opium from India to China, although doing so violates China's ban.The first Opium War caused by this ended in the victory of Britain.AfterThe Second Opium WarChina, Britain andFranceJointly winning again, Britain further gained its privileges in China.
After the Opium War, Britain and China maintained a complex relationship.Although the UK acquired Hong Kong, the UK China trade is mainly through several open channelsChinese portsconduct.Chinese populationIt is too much and the territory is not small. It is difficult for Britain to occupy China. Therefore, Britain hopes to see an independent China, because the collapse of China means that other western powers may carve up China with Britain, which challenges Britain's privileged position.Britain dominated China until 1895.
In 1875, European countriesAfricaThe two most important colonies areAlgeriaandCape Colony；But in 1914, exceptEthiopiaandLiberiaAll other African countries have become colonies of European countries.From the originalEconomic controlThe colony's "informal empire" changed todirect control。
WhenFrance、BelgiumandPortugalstayCongo RiverWhen colonial activities were carried out in the downstream areas, they actually threatened Britain's penetration into tropical Africa.1877Berlin Conference As for the attempt to mediate the contradiction between powers, the conference proposed that "actual occupation" should be the criterion for determining the attribution of each country's colonies, and the adoption of this criterion meant that European countries would attack local tribes and people more to obtain a larger area of "actual occupation".
Britain in 1882EgyptOfmilitary occupation(The most direct cause is to protectSuez Canal）At the same time, it also plays a role in establishing the Britishthe NileRegional control.This further led Britain toSudanThe conquest of Britain and France in September 1898Fashoda Incident 。
In 1899, Britain occupiedSouth Africa, thismilitary actionIt began with the annexation of Cape in 1795.In violation of the gold mining area of Transvaal and the neighboringOrange Free StateLater, British South Africa Company, which was responsible for South African affairs, went further north, and took the lead of Cape merchant Cecil·RhodesThe name of the knight refers to the area he occupied as Rhodesia.
Britain in South Africa andEast AfricaThe victory prompted Sir Rhodes and Alfred Milner, the British ambassador to South Africa, to propose to establish a "Cairo”British colonial empire.They hope to achieve this by building a railway connecting the Suez Canal and South African mining areas.But because GermanyTanganyikaThe British colony in Africa was cut in half bythe First World WarBefore the end, only the telegraph lines between African colonies were unblocked, while the railway could not be built.
Although they were the most active advocates of free trade, the British became not only the largest overseas empire in 1914, but also the biggest beneficiaries of plundering Africa.Between 1885 and 1914, Britain put about 30% of the African population under its ruleFranceOnly 15% of Africans, 9% of GermansBelgium7% and Italy 1%.BritishNigeriaOne colony has 15 million people, which is the wholeFrench West AfricaAnd allGerman coloniesThe sum of the population.
Heyday
In 1837, at the age of 18KentmainvictoriaAscended asThe Queen of EnglandUntil her death in 1901, known asQueen Victoria。During the 60 years of Queen Victoria's reign, Britain has controlled the world through the efforts of several prime ministersSea power, dominateworld trade, whose vast colonies spread across all continents“The sun never sets”It seems "can compete with the world".stayVictorian Period, Britain emergedNewtonThe greatest scientist sincemaxwell，ShakespeareDickens, the most outstanding litterateur of all time,LiberalismGladstone, the pioneer of policy, and the famous diplomatPalmerstonIt can be said that there are many talents.
As the first industrialized country, Britain was able to use the whole world as the source country of its raw materials and the export market of industrial products.However, with the industrialization of other countries, this situation began to change gradually in the 19th century, and more and more countries sought to protect their raw material supply and export markets.By the 1870s, Britain's industrial products faced strong competition from other countries.
Industrialization proceeded rapidly in Germany and the United States, making them quickly catch up with Britain andFranceThese two powerful Europethe West。For example, by 1870, Germany's textile and metal industriesorganization structureandtechnical efficiency Has surpassed the UK in the past, and in Germanydomestic marketHas defeated BritainSimilar products。By the end of the 19th century, Germany even began to become the world factory to produce these products.
Although intangible exports (such as banking services, insurance and shipping) prevent Britain from running a trade deficitTrade volumeThe proportion of total world trade fell from one fourth in 1880 to one sixth in 1913.Britain not onlyIndustrialized countryIn the market competition, its products areLess developed countriesThere is no advantage in the market.Britain is even losing what it once ownedIndia, ChinaLatin America(i.e. middleSouth America）AndAfricaInland and coastal tradeleading role 。
Britain's business difficulties were compounded by the economic depression of 1873-1896.Caused by business recessiondeflationFurther, it puts more pressure on governments of all countries to encourage and support domestic industries, which eventually leads to the gradual abandonment of freedom by European powersTrade(Germany gave up free trade in 1879, France gave up free trade in 1881, Britain gave up free trade in this period of time, and the United States gave up free trade as early as the 1860s, that is, during the Civil War).
The result is a double shrinkage of the domestic and export markets.Europe and laterNorth AmericaOfCanadaAs a result, American government and business leaders began to regard overseas colonies as their new market: these overseas colonies will becomesuzerainAnd they are placed under the protection of trade barriers, making it impossible for other countries to compete with the products of the host country.At the same time, they still provide cheap raw materials.Although Britain adhered to the principle of free trade until 1932, it fought with other industrialized countries for overseas colonies to prevent falling into the hands of other countries in the areas of its sphere of influence.After that, Britain still paid a lot of attention toDominionThe trade preference system was implemented for the products ofEuropean CommunityOnly then did the rear stop these preferential policies for foreign trade and instead apply trade barriers to the goods of the original colonies.
The disintegration of the empire
Autonomy in white colonies
along withCanada(1867)Australia(1901)New Zealand(1907)Newfoundland(1907) andSouth African Federation(1910) Successively achieved the status of autonomous territory, and the British Empire has begun to move from empire toCommonwealthChange.The leaders of these new countries, together with British politicians, attended the colonial conference held regularly since 1887 (known as the Imperial Conference after 1907).
DominionBetweendiplomatic relationsThe British Ministry of Foreign Affairs is mainly responsible for this. Although Canada set up the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1909, its relations with other countries in the Empire were still sent to Canada through the Empiregovernor, Autonomous NeighborhoodLondonOfhigh commissioner(Canada appointed its own High Commissioner for the first time in 1880, and Australia followed suit in 1910) and maintained ties with British diplomatic envoys overseas.the First World WarChina and Britain declared war on behalf of all the autonomous territorial governments in the empire.
Their respective rulers really enjoy great freedom in foreign policy, as long as their policies do not obviously violate Britain's own interests: Canada'sLiberal PartyThe government signed a reciprocal agreement on bilateral free trade with the United States in 1911, but it was not approved due to British opposition.
In terms of national defense, the defense of the Dominion was originally incorporated into a single imperial military framework, which proved to be difficult to maintain after 1900, because Britain began toContinental EuropeWe have begun to take greater responsibility for our defense, and at the same time, we must faceGerman NavyThe rising threat.In 1909, the British Empire decided that each Dominion should have its own navy, which was a pledge made by Britain in 1887 to Australia toBritish NavyExporting manpower in exchange for Britain'sPacific regionViolation of the agreement on the stationing of the fleet.
Although the British government allowed the autonomy of the above regions, the British government could still interfere in the internal affairs of the Dominion until 1931statute of Westminster It was changed after being approved.
Although Britain won the war and gained new colonies from the war, the huge cost of the war made it impossible for Britain to continue to bear the huge amount needed to maintain an empireexpenditure。Millions of people died and countless assets were destroyed in Britain, which resulted in high debtscapital marketAnd the lack of British officials in overseas colonies.meanwhile,nationalismEmotions are rising in both old and new colonies, while the participation of the empire and the strong feelings of non white soldiers in the warracial discriminationAll contribute to this nationalism.
In the 1920sDominionAn era of great changes.Although the Dominions had no right to choose whether to join the war when World War I broke out, the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I in 1919, was signed by Britain and its Dominions respectively.In 1922, the Dominion was no longer willing to support the BritishturkeyThe British were forced to seek a peaceful compromise.
A monument to the Anglo Irish War in Dublin
The full independence of the Dominion《Balfour declaration 》And 1931《statute of Westminster 》It was finally established that all the self-governing dominions had the same status as BritainLegislatureNo longer has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Dominion, and the Dominion will also enjoy the freedom of independent foreign policy.In 1907, a department in charge of the affairs of the Dominion was set up in the Colonial Department, which also separated from the colonial department in 1925 to establish an independent Dominion, and had the first department minister in 1930.
CanadaIn 1923, it became the first autonomous dominion to sign diplomatic treaties alone, and in 1927, Canada sent the first to WashingtonPermanentDiplomats;1940AustraliaThe first ambassador abroad was also sent.
Irish Free StatestayAnglo Irish WarLater, in 1921, it obtained the status of autonomous region;1937IrelandFormally severed from BritainConstitutional relationsAnd officially became completely independent fromCommonwealthExtraneousRepublic of Ireland。Originally independent, it was not controlled by Britain until 1922EgyptIn 1936, he also severed his special constitutional relationship with Britain.Became Britain in 1922ProtectorOfIraqIt was also completely independent in 1932, 10 years later.
Decolonization after World War II
At the beginning of the 20th century,nationalismThe upsurge of emotions, together with the influence of the United States and the Soviet Union, made it increasingly difficult to maintain the British imperial system.At the same time,suzerainMore and more concerned about the affairs of the local and surrounding countries, especially inWorld War IIThis trend will become more obvious in the future.Britain was finally forced to accept this new situation and transform the imperial system into a loose oneCommonwealthBritain also changed from a global power toRegionalpower.
Britain's declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 only represented itself andAustralia(Australia had not formally accepted it at that time《statute of Westminster 》）, exceptIreland(The country asked the British army to leave its territory one year ago and chose to remain neutral in the war)DominionBoth declared war on Germany respectively.
World War II finally destroyed Britain's economy and finance that had begun to weakenLeadershipAnd highlighted the need for the Dominion and the United States to assist Britain militarily.1942Prime Minister of AustraliaJohn Curtin(John Curtin) An unprecedented order will be issued to station inBritish MyanmarForty five percent of Australian soldiers were repatriated to take part in the fight to defend Australia.
In the CaribbeanAfrica、AsiaandPacific region, postwarDecolonizationThe movement is taking place at an unprecedented speed, and the UK has almost never tried to resist this wave.
On August 15, 1947,IndiaIndependence, this isIndian National Congress Up to 40 years of resistanceColonialismVictory in the struggle.But India's independence is to divide India andPakistanAt the cost of avoiding Muslims andHindusAfter India's independence, there was a wave of decolonization around the world, and the British Empire began to collapse.And Britain wants India to joinCommonwealthTo allow new members not to be loyalBritish monarch。In 1948 after India's independenceKing of EnglandGeorge VIRenounce the title of Mughal emperor.
1948MyanmarThey also gained independence and chose not to join the Commonwealth;LaterSri Lanka(1948) and Malaya (1957).Britain ended in 1948Palestinian areaOf the Commission,IsraelAfter the founding of the People's Republic of China, there has been a bloody and violent dispute between Jews and Arabs for decades.stayMediterranean region , saidGreek70% of Cypriots have been hoping to keep Cyprus in the form of guerrilla warfareGreeceIn 1960, Cyprus finally gained independence, but BritainCyprusTwo sovereign bases are reserved.In 1964, Britain was located inmediterranean seaThe colony ofMaltaindependent.
1956Suez Crisis The opposition of China, Britain and France in the United States andSoviet UnionUnder the pressure ofEgyptwithdraw troops.Suez CanalThe crisis directly led to the UKAnthony Eden The British Prime Minister who came to power after the collapse of the governmentHarold Macmillan The pace of decolonization was accelerated, and the British forces completely withdrew from the Suez Canal Zone.This event represents that the United States has officially replaced Britain as the new world hegemon.
In 1966, due to the decline of Britain's national strengthUnited Nations regional groupsAfter the reclassification, the British led Commonwealth group was cancelledCanada、AustraliaandNew ZealandFour countries are includedWestern EuropeAnd other groups, while the restCommonwealthCountries are divided into corresponding regional groups, which marks the loss of BritainSuperpowerStatus.
Britain from the south and eastAfricaThe withdrawal of troops from Kenya has a great impact on local white residents:Mau Mau It shows that the possession of power by white landowners has causedIndigenous peoplesIs dissatisfied with.The existence of the white regime in South Africa shows that the local white people want to suppress the indigenous black peopleApartheidThe policy withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1961RacismThe rule lasted until 1991President of South AfricaF. W. de Klerk The end came only after the abolition of apartheid, andRepublic of South AfricaUntil 1994MandelaHe returned to the Commonwealth after becoming President.
Although white majorityRhodesiaAndNiassaranThe CommonwealthMalawiandZambiaThe separation and independence of,southern rhodesia Ninety five percent of whites (who had been an autonomous colony since 1923) declared independence and refused to accept the jurisdiction of an African government.With the support of the white government of South Africa, the Rhodesian regime lasted until 1979, until the two sides reached an agreement to establish a majority rulethe republic of zimbabwe , so far Britain has ended itsAfrican continentColonial rule.
Although passed by the British Parliament in 1931statute of Westminster giveDominionThe right of autonomy, but Britain still holds the power of final adjudication and constitutional amendment in these areas, such asCanadaIn 1949 and 1982, the power of final adjudication and the power of amending the Constitution were withdrawn respectively,AustraliaIn 1986, the power of final adjudication and constitutional amendment was withdrawn, andNew ZealandThe power of final adjudication ofLondonBritainJudicial Committee of the Privy CouncilTransfer to the High Court of New Zealand.Canada did not issue the Westminster Act until 1947, 16 years after it was passedCanadian passportTo replace the British passport, which was issued in Australia in 1949Australian passport。
In short-livedWest Indian FederationAfter the failure (1958-1962), most British Caribbean colonies chose to divide and rule:JamaicaandTrinidad and Tobago In 1966, Barbados and other eastern Caribbean island countries became independent one after another.The British colonies in the Pacific region also experienced a similar process of decolonization in subsequent years.
Britain is still a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and has a certain degree ofdiscourse powerBut it is no longer as powerful as Britain's voice in international affairs in the 19th century.Britain also has 14 British overseas territories overseas, and there are 16 countries including King Charles III[4]As their heads of state, these regions are collectively referred to asCommonwealth KingdomHowever, the British government will no longerforeign affairsInterference.
territory
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In 1921, it reachedTerritorial expansionThe territory of the British Empire is as follows:
Gibraltar: 1704,War of the Spanish Succession It broke out and was captured by the British army in the same yearSpainGibraltar, at the southern end, was signed by the great powers in 1713Utrecht Peace TreatyAt the end of the war, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in the peace treaty. Since then, Britain has occupied Gibraltar.Spain has always demanded that Britain return Gibraltar.
Malta: 1798, French schoolNapoleonLead an expeditionEgypt，French ArmyPassing MaltaKnights of St. JohnAfter expulsion, Malta once became a French territory.In 1800, the British defeated the French army in Malta and occupied Malta. The Maltese people also took the initiative to ask for British governance.In 1814, Britain officially declared Malta asBritish colonies。Malta became independent from Britain in 1964.Joined the European Union in 2004.
Cyprus: since the 15th centuryOttoman EmpireTerritory,1878 Berlin ConferenceThe resolution handed over the governance of Cyprus to the United Kingdom, while the sovereignty still belonged to the Ottoman Empire in name.In 1914,the First World WarWhen the Ottoman Empire broke out, the British officially ended the subordination between Cyprus and Ottoman. By 1925, the British officially declared Cyprus to be a British colony.Cyprus became independent from Britain in 1960.Britain continues to establishmilitary base。Joined the European Union in 2004.
Asia
Aden: 1839british east india company Capturing the port from the Arabs, the East India Company in 1858DominionTo the British government asBritish IndiaThe jurisdiction of the colonial government.In 1936, Aden and its inland area became a separate colony AdenProtected area。Aden joined in 1963South Arab Federation, which became independent in 1967South Yemen, North and South in 1990YemenAfter reunification, Aden is still one of Yemenport city。
Bahrain: In 1820, the British government signed an agreement with the Amir of Bahrain, transforming it intoProtectorIn 1971, Bahrain declared its independence.
Bhutan: In 1864, Britain occupied Bhutan through warBorder areasIn 1911, Bhutan signed a treaty with Britainforeign policyIt was entrusted to Britain for implementation, while internal affairs remained autonomous and Bhutan was under indirect colonial rule;After India's independence in 1947, Britain also ended its control of Bhutan.
britishNew Guinea(Nowpapua new guinea）: Britain established a protected area here in 1884, which was transferred fromAustraliaIt managed and renamed Papua. In 1949, Papua merged with the rest of New Guinea and became independent as Papua New Guinea.
BruneiIn 1888, Britain declared Brunei as its protectorate, which wasJapanIn 1983, Brunei was completely independent from British protection.
MyanmarAfter three wars in 1824, 1852 and 1885, Britain occupied Myanmar and placed it under the administrative jurisdiction of the Indian colonial government until 1937.Japan occupied Myanmar from 1942 to 1945, and Myanmar became independent in 1948.
British Ceylon(TodaySri Lanka）: In 1796, the East India CompanyNetherlandsThe coastal areas captured by the British government were handed over to the British government in 1802. In 1815, the British deposed the king of Ceylon and put the whole island of Ceylon under British rule. In 1948, Ceylon gained independence and changed its name to Sri Lanka in 1972.
British India(TodayPakistan、India、The People's Republic of Bangladesh）Since 1609, the East India Company has established immigration strongholds along the coast of India, and since 1757, it has expanded its territory inland. Most Indian states maintain autonomy in internal affairs, but must obey the absolute authority of the East India Company.In 1858, the British government officially took over the rule of India, and India has gradually become one of the most important British colonies in the world, known as the "pearl on the crown".Since 1876British monarchAlso awarded the title of "Indian Emperor" or "Indian Queen".In 1947, India split into twoDominion——Post independence of India and Pakistan;India and Pakistan established republics respectively in 1950 and 1956, and Bangladesh split from Pakistan in 1972.
Iraq: UK inWorld War IOccupy the original owner during the periodturkeyIraq in 1920League of NationsAuthorizedMandateIraq became autonomous in 1922 and independent in 1932.Britain reoccupied Iraq between 1941 and 1945.
Kuwait: Since 1899Emir of KuwaitIt signed a series of protection treaties with Britain and lost part of its sovereignty.Kuwait became completely independent in 1961.
Union of Malaya(TodayMalaysia）Between 1874 and 1930, there were manySudanSign a series of protection treaties;Composition of some states in 1896Federation of MalaysiaFrom 1942 to 1945, Malaya wasJapanOccupation: In 1946, Malaya, except Singapore, formed the Malayan Federation. In 1948, it formed the Malayan Union, including the states that did not join the Malayan Federation in 1896. In 1957, it became completely independent.1963 andSingapore(post independent)North Borneo andSarawakThey jointly formed the Federation of Malaysia. Singapore withdrew in 1965 and declared independence.
MaldivesIslands: It was admitted as a British protectorate in 1887 and became independent in 1965.
britishPalestine: 1918World War IDuring the British occupationturkeyIn 1920, the United Kingdom began to rule the Palestinian territory, and in 1948, the United Kingdom gave up the rule. After that, decades of armed conflict between Jews and Arabs occurred.Most of the Palestinian territory isIsraelOccupation.
Nepal: In the War between Britain and the Kingdom of Nepal in 1814, the British army was stationed in the Nepalese court from 1816 after the victorySpecial Representative, indirectly to Nepalcolonial ruleAfter India's independence in 1947, Nepal also gained independence.
britishNorth Borneo (TodayMalaysia(one of the states): todayEast MalaysiaSabah.In 1881,Brunei SudanThe area was ceded to the British North Borneo Company, and from 1906, the British government carried outDirect managementIt was occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1963, it changed its name to Sabah and joined Malaysia.
OmanBritain has controlled Oman's prosperous trade since the beginning of the 19th century. In 1891, Oman officially became a British protectorate and became independent in 1971.
QatarSince 1916, Britain has made an agreement with the ruler of Qatar to place Qatar under British protection and become independent in 1971.
britishSarawak(TodayMalaysiaIn 1841, the Sultan of Brunei agreed to appoint an EnglishmanJames Brooke As the governor of the region, Sarawak's territory expanded from 1861 to 1905;Japan occupied the area from 1942 to 1945. In 1946, the British government officially replaced the Brook family to rule Sarawak. In 1963, it joined Malaysia.
the straits settlements (i.eMalacca、PenangandSingapore）In 1826, these three important port cities were jointly formed into the Straits Colony, which was under the jurisdiction of the British East India Company. Since 1858IndiaIt was administered by the government. In 1867, it became a separate colony and was directly administered by the British government.World War IIAll three Chinese cities were once occupied by Japan.Malacca and Penang joined Malaya in 1948 and became independent in 1957.Singapore, on the other hand, continued to remain in the territory of the British Empire, and only in 1959 was it allowed to exercise autonomy.Singapore joined in 1963MalaysiaIn 1965, he withdrew and declared independence.
Trans Jordan(TodayJordan）: The British occupation in 1918 wasturkeyOuter Jordan, a part of Jordan Province, has been ruled by mandate since 1920. In 1921, Outer Jordan andPalestineSeparation, Britain allowed the establishment of the Kingdom of Jordan in 1923, but it was not until 1946 that it was completely independent of Britain.
Trusilemirate(TodayThe United Arab Emirates）: Since 1887, the British and localarabThe rulers signed a protection treaty, placing the area under the "protection scope" of Britain.It gained independence in 1971.
Basutulan (todayLesotho）: Britain annexed the area in 1868 and handed it over toCape of Good HopeIt was under the jurisdiction of the colonial government, and Britain restored its direct jurisdiction in 1884.Independence in 1966.
Bettina (todaybotswana）: The British Expeditionary Force arrived here in 1884 and declared it a BritishProtectorIn 1895, some areas of Bettina were under the jurisdiction of the Cape of Good Hope colonial government, and the rest continued to be directly under the jurisdiction of Britain.Independence in 1966.
britishTogo: OriginallyGerman colonies，World War ILater, it was divided into French Togo and British Togo.After the war, Britain ruled the region by mandate, which was incorporated in 1919Gold Coast，GhanaIt became part of its territory after independence.
britishCameroon: Originally a German colony, Britain ruled part of its territory by mandate after World War I. In 1961, British and French Cameroons merged and declared independence.
GambiaSince 1661, the country has been the fortress of British businessmen, which was incorporated in 1821sierra leone, became independent in 1888British coloniesIn 1894, some inland areas were also declared protectorates of Britain, and gained independence in 1965.
Gold Coast (TodayGhana）British businessmen have lived here since 1631. From 1821 to 1874, it was a subordinate administrative region of British Sierra Leone, which was controlled by businessmen from 1828 to 1843.In 1830, its territory began to expand inland. In 1874, Britain established the Gold Coast Colony. In 1904, its boundary was finally determined.British Togo was incorporated in 1919 and became independent in 1957.
EgyptEgypt was occupied by Britain in 1882. It was Britain's protectorate from 1914 to 1922. It gained independence in 1922, but it fulfilled necessary treaty obligations to Britain,British troopsThe army remained in the country until 1954.
Kenya: The partition between Britain and Germany in 1886East AfricaIt was later acquired by Kenya, which was incorporated into the jurisdiction of the British East Africa Company in 1888, and was directly managed by the British government instead of the East Africa Company in 1895.Kenya colony was established in 1920 and became independent in 1963.
mauritius: England fromFranceMauritius was captured and became independent in 1968.
Nigeria: A consulate was established in the country in 1851, some areas were annexed in 1861, Niger Regional Reserve was established in 1885, and was managed by the Royal Niger Company in 1886. Britain continued to occupy the remaining territory of Nigeria from 1892 to 1898, and the British government began to directly rule Nigeria in 1900.In 1914, North and South Nigeria merged. In 1919, British Cameroon was incorporated into Nigeria, and gained independence in 1960.
Niassaran(TodayMalawi）: Missionaries have established a stronghold here since 1875, and Britain established it here in 1891Central AfricanThe protected area was named Nyasaland in 1907, and it was connected with the north and south in 1953RhodesiaThe Central African Federation was merged and became independent in 1964.
sierra leone: Sierra Leone has been a British company since 1787slave trade It became a British colony in 1807, and its inland area was declared a British protectorate in 1896. It gained independence in 1961.
southern rhodesia (Todayzimbabwe）: In 1893, the United Kingdom fromAfrican tribesWon South Rhodesia and was managed by British South Africa Company, which was established in 1923responsible government, administered by the British government, formed the Central African Union with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1964. In 1965, the white minority government of the country declared independence on its own, only obtainingSouth AfricaEqual minorityNational recognition。In 1980, the white regime reached a co governance agreement with the black community, renamed Zimbabwe, and became widely recognizedSovereign state。
British Somaliland : Became the protectorate of Aden in 1884, demarcated the border in 1897, became a separate colony in 1905, was briefly occupied by Italy from 1940 to 1941, and was incorporated in 1960SomaliaPost independence.
South Africa: In 1795 and 1806, Britain won from the Dutch twiceCape of Good HopeIn 1814, the Cape of Good Hope was fully annexed, and since 1872, it has been under the direct jurisdiction of Britain.Britain occupied the originalNetherlandsAfter the colony ofOrange Free StateAnd Transvaal, but Britain in 1900Boer WarThe two regions were later annexed.Natal was annexed by Britain in 1843 and became its colony.It was formed by the consolidation of the above colonies in 1910South African Federation, become aDominion。
South West Africa (todayNamibia）: Namibia in 1878Whale Bay PortWas declared BritainterritoryIn 1884, it was incorporated into the Cape of Good Hope Colony. In 1915, Britain annexed the German colony around the port and established South Africa in 1919Mandate。Independence in 1990.
SwazilandIn 1890, Britain and Transvaal carried out a war against the rulers of SwazilandJoint protectionIn 1906, Britain protected it alone and became independent in 1968.
Sudan: Originally a colony of Egypt, it was overthrown by Mahdi in the 1880s;In 1898, Britain reoccupied Sudan in the name of Egypt and ruled Sudan together with Egypt.Sudan became independent in 1956.
Tanganyika: Originally a German colony in East Africa, Britain began its mandate rule in 1919, became independent in 1961, andZanzibarformTanzania。
Zanzibar: Britain established a consulate on the island in 1841, declared it a British protectorate in 1890, became independent in 1963, and merged with Tanganyika to form Tanzania the next year.
Uganda: In 1890, the British East Africa Company andKingdom of BugandaTreaty signing, 1894BugandaIt officially became a British protectorate. In 1896, several other regions successively joined the protectorate. In 1905, Uganda was established as a colony and became independent in 1962.
North America
Ascension IslandIn 1815,NapoleonBe imprisoned inSt. HelenaLater, in order to prevent the French from controlling the island and stationing troops here, St. Helena had administrative jurisdiction over it since 1922.
British Honduras (todayBelize ）: British since 1636Cypress woodDeformers settled along the coast of the country, and thenSpainAnd Britaincontrol powerIt was not until 1786 that Britain gained complete control.1862-1884JamaicaIt became a separate colony in 1884 and became independent in 1981.
Canada: French Canada was occupied by Britain in 1760, the British colony of Quebec was established in 1763, and Canada was divided into the upper part in 1791Lower CanadaTwo independent colonies. Later, Lower Canada was renamed Eastern Canada,Upper CanadaIt is called Western Canada, and Eastern and Western Canada are laterQuebecAndOntarioThe core part ofNew Brunswickandnova scotia In 1867, it merged to form the Dominion of Canada, and then British ColumbiaPrince Edward Island、Northwest ChinaandNewfoundlandAnd gradually joined the Canadian Dominion.Obtained in 1931autonomy, obtained in 1982Right to amend the ConstitutionAfter that, they gained complete independence.
Falkland Islands: In 1765, Britain occupied the Falkland Islands for the first time, and thenSpainIt withdrew in 1774, reoccupied in 1833, and began colonial rule in 1841.1982ArgentinaAnnouncing the Falkland Islands as its propertyFalklands WarBritain regained its sovereignty over the island after the victory of the war.Argentina and Britain still dispute the sovereignty of the island.
Dominion of Newfoundland British ships have been fishing in the area since the late 15th century, 1583Humphrey GilbertJazz LandingNewfoundlandIt was also declared as a British territory. In 1713, the British government began to directly colonize it. In 1855, Newfoundland established a responsible government, but in 1934, Britain resumed its colonial rule and joined in 1949CanadaDominions.
AnguillaIn 1650, part of St. Christopher immigrated here. In 1663, the island was declared a British territory. From 1882 to 1967, it was jointly managed by a coalition government with St. Christopher. It withdrew in 1967. In 1969, Britain resumed its rule over the island.
St. Christopher, Antigua: colonized it in 1632, was under the jurisdiction of Britain in 1663, and became independent in 1981Antigua and Barbuda 。
Bahamas: He was ruled by Britain in 1717 and became independent in 1973.
Barbados: Some people have lived on the island since 1625. It was ruled by the British government in 1663 and became independent in 1966.
Bermuda: One in 1612London CompanyBermuda was under the administration of the British government from 1684.
British Virgin Islands: People have lived here since 1666 and became a British colony since 1713.
Cayman Islands: 1670SpainThe islands were administratively administered by the Jamaican colonial government until it became an independent colony in 1959.
Dominica: Britain fromFranceIn 1778, France recaptured Dominica and Britain recaptured it in 1783;Independence in 1978.
Grenada: Britain acquired the island from France in 1762, France recaptured Grenada in 1779, and Britain recaptured it in 1783;Independence in 1974.
Jamaica: Britain captured the island from Spain in 1655 and became independent in 1962.
Montserrat: The island has been inhabited since 1632. It became a British colony in 1663. France ruled the island twice in 1664-1768 and 1782-1784.
st. christopher and nevis In 1623, St. Christopher became a BritishCaribbeanIts first colony was directly ruled by the British government from 1663, and was briefly occupied by France from 1782 to 1783.In 1882, St. Christopher andNevisFormed a coalition government and became independent in 1983Saint Kitts and Nevis。
Saint Lucia : Britain captured the island from France in 1778, returned it to France in 1783, reoccupied it twice in 1796 and 1803, annexed Saint Lucia in 1814, and became independent in 1979.
Saint Vincent: Britain occupied the island in 1762, France occupied it from 1779 to 1783, 1979Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesindependent.
Trinidad: Britain acquired the island from Spain in 1797, and established a coalition government with Tobago in 1888. In 1962Trinidad and Tobago independent.
Turks and Caicos Islands : Residents have lived here since 1678, and Britain annexed the islands in 1766. Later, Jamaica andBahamasUnder the jurisdiction of the colonial government, it became a separate colony in 1973.
St. Helena: Britain annexed the island in 1651, the East India Company began to manage it in 1661, and the British government began to exercise direct jurisdiction over it in 1834.
Tristan da Cunha: To prevent being imprisoned in 1815St. HelenaNapoleon on theRoyal NavyIt occupied the island in 1816 and became a British colony under the administrative jurisdiction of St. Helena since 1938.
Oceania
Australia：new south wales It was the first British colony in Australia in 1770james cook It was proposed to develop the eastern coast of Australia. In 1788, the first batch of British prisoners were immigrated here to pioneer. In 1855, a responsible government was established in New South Wales.1824QueenslandBecome a BritishMorton BayThe first colony built was initially affiliated with the colonial government of New South Wales. In 1859, it broke away and established an independent responsible government.1834British ParliamentDecided to establish a new colony in Australia, the first group of British in 1836ColonistAfter arriving in South Australia, a responsible government was established in 1855.Tasmania was colonized by Europeans as early as 1803. It was first known as Van Dieman Land, an administrative region under the colonial government of New South Wales.Became independent from New South Wales in 1825British coloniesIn 1856, a responsible government was established.In 1834, the British from Tasmania came to Port Phillip to colonize. In 1851, the Victorian colony was established. Four years later, the responsible government was established.Western Australia was colonized since 1826, but the responsible government was not established until 1890.In 1901new south wales 、Queensland, South AustraliaTasmania、victoriaandWestern AustraliaConsolidated compositionCommonwealth of AustraliaAnd later won the status of autonomous dominion.In 1986, it obtained full power of final adjudication and has been completely independent since then.
Ellis Islands (todayTuvalu）: In 1892, the islands were declared as its protectorate by Britain, and in 1916, the Ellis Islands andGilbert IslandsFormed a colony and became independent in 1978.
Gilbert Islands(TodayKiribati）In 1892, it became a British protectorate together with the Ellis Islands, formed a colony with the Ellis Islands in 1916, and became independent in 1979.
Fiji: Missionaries and colonists have settled in Fiji since 1835. In 1874, at the request of the Fijian chief, Britain placed Fiji under its protection and became independent in 1970.
New Zealand：james cook New Zealand in 1769 and 1770North IslandandSouth IslandIn 1840, Britain signed a treaty with the local Maori people, and Britain began to rule New Zealand. In 1856, New Zealand established a responsible government, and later obtained the status of autonomous dominion.In 1986, it obtained full power of final adjudication and has been completely independent since then.
Pitcairn IslandsIn 1790, when the British warship Bonti was mutinied, nine sailors fled to the island and settled here. In 1838, Britain incorporated it into the empire.
Solomon Islands: It has been a British protected area since 1893,World War IIDuring theJapanOccupation, independence in 1978.
TongaIn 1879, Tonga's rulers signed a treaty of friendship with Britain. It was protected by Britain since 1900 and became independent in 1970.
British Guyana(TodayGuyana）: Britain won the original title in 1796 and 1803NetherlandsThe three colonies of Berbes, Desmerara and Essekubo.In 1831, three colonies were merged to form the British Guyana colony, which became independent in 1966.
Antarctica
British Antarctic TerritoryIn 1819, Britain declared sovereignty over the region, which made Britain the first country in the worldAntarcticaA country that claims territory.In 1908 and 1917, Britain declared the part of Antarctica twiceTerritorial sovereignty。1959《Antarctic Treaty》ProvisionsSouth LatitudeThe land above 60 ° does not belong to any country, and countries with territory in other parts of Antarctica are also prohibited to immigrate here or engage in other activitiesscientific researchUnrelated activities, so Britain withdrew its military presence north of 60 ° south latitude.
Florida, ceded toSpainAnd later joined the United States;
On February 25, 1843, Britain wonhawaiian islandsHawaii declared its independence on November 28 of the same year, and the United States occupied it on July 7, 1898Hawaii；
The British colonial rule is a loose form of rule, notcentralization。Britain inAmerican Revolutionary WarOn the contrary, the later colonial policy adopted the way of "indirect rule", which made the colonies independent politically and economically.stayAfricaandIndiaBritain still retains many original land states (such as India'sHyderabadKashmirKingdom of Buganda, Basutoran KingdomSultanate of Zanzibar ，Middle EastandSoutheast AsiaSome ofemirateandSudan）。In the areas designated as colonies directly under the British Crown, the original tribal, rural and other administrative institutions have also been retained (the more extreme example is the British conquest of Transvaal andOrange Free StateLater, the originalApartheidSystem as a concession to the original Boer ruling group of the two countries), and appoint local people as secondary local officials.The local language and culture can also be preserved and taught.
Some people think thatFrance、Spain、PortugalCompared with other countries' ruling methods, Britain's ruling method is undoubtedly more conducive to maintaining long-term control over the colonies and making it willing to maintain political and economic ties with Britain after independence.
historical significance
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The formation of the British Empire was the result of more than 300 years of trade, immigration and military conquest. During this period, there were also peaceful commercial and diplomatic activities. It was the general name of a specific group, culture, international politics and trade of an era.The empire helped spread British technology, business, language andmanagement model , imperial hegemony helped Britain achieve amazingeconomic growthAnd make itInternational politicsChina has a greater voice.The colonies obtained advanced science and technology and investment from Britain to promote economic development andliving standardThe improvement of English has also gained the British legal framework and the international language English.
