Would the world have been a better place If the British never existed?.

I see it often in every chat room and forum that we British and our History we nasty buggers and that got me thinking If the world would have been better off If our lovely isles just didn't exist?.
Now obviously I think that the world would be worse off seeing we brought so much to the countries we invaded but not just that we have been leaders in many things science, industry, Rights, Education etc.
But is the things we have brought to the world better than the things we have done in the past?.
So what do you all think?.
Heck in this thread you can bash us Brits and our History as long as you can back it up with facts please.
Cheers just attempting to understand how people think of us The British.

a reply to: boymonkey74

i should imagine that the slaves in america would probably regret our non existence

Colonialism was happening globally, so if it wasn't British colonialism it would have been French /Spanish colonialism.

It is my opinion that colonialism, whilst debatable ethically, brought advancements to nations that they otherwise wouldn't have got, and seeing as they still use and strive for being first world nations, it appears that is the way many would rather.

As for slavery, it had been happening for thousands of years and not subject to race, Vikings and Romans had slaves, and the African trade was well established of it's own accord before the British were eventually persuaded by the African traders.

The UK has the biggest average bust size in europe.
I will fight to defend it's existence on that basis alone.

But to give you a more serious answer (albeit one i am less emotionally invested in) you could say that about any person or nation or whatever.
I am sure people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have preferred if america never existed.
At the end of it all countries do act like individual people: sometimes they do good things, sometimes bad things.
The UK gave us William Shakespeare, Elton John, Christopher Hitchens, The Beatles and Kate Beckinsale.
We good.

In that case, USA wouldn't exist. Spain would own the whole 3 Americas. Not good.

Doesn't matter what you've done in the past. You'll never change what's been and gone. The important thing is, Britain is a good country now, and she's headed in the right direction.

Yes, Britain—like every other country, race, group of people etc.. ever—has made mistakes, but no, I for one am glad the country exists.

In my opinion the British empire was one of the greatest.. Not for the wars and violence (every great empire is guilty of that) but purely for our science, mathematics, some of the greatest inventions in history.... oh an not forgetting football... what kind of world would we life in without football.. Doesn't bear thinking about.

a reply to: boymonkey74

Once upon a time the British empire was large and strong . In one of their defining moments they invented Australia , a place they filled with pick pockets and bread thieves . Much later they invented a game called cricket , a game they exported to Australia which the ancestors of the convicts excelled at and in 1877 beat the british in something called the ashes . Rumour has it , the Poms as they came to be known burnt something called bails and put it in a urn or something . This was something fought over on the cricket field right up until the present . Sadly the pommy cricket team has declined as has their empire ,losing to Bangladesh in the make or break game at something called a world cup . A once proud people perhaps needing to invent a new game to restore its sporting prowess .

Hell no! Your people tried to wipe mine out in the Boer war
and I still think English women are the most beautiful thing on the planet.
I find your history fascinating , respect your people, but honestly could do
without a lot of the foreign policy decisions your country has made
over the last few decades. Also, thanks for stopping the yanks from
dropping a nuke on Vietnam and leading the campaign to end slavery,
your people rock.

If it wasnt for britain the world never would have had benny hill .. the rolling stones or from britains redheaded step children the americans .. jimi hendrix and jim morrison .. see you lot did contribute some good to the world ..

Does it really matter? The Brits are just as much an asshole as anyone else really, it is not a reason to question what is really. Hell I live in the USA born and raised Im no better then any of you why would I think...

a reply to: boymonkey74

Well boymonkey74,

I do not know whether the world would be better or worse off if our fair homeland had never existed, but I can say that this land would have been better off without the thrice cursed bloody Roman invasion. They allegedly bought us much, like straight roads and and civilisation, all that malarkey. Personally, I prefer a road to go AROUND woodland, not through it. Also, they were not at all civil. They taught us the concept of conquest, of empire, and passed on all the worst elements of the mindset required to achieve those things, to the consciousness of the people. This echoed forward through time, and without that historic influence, I very much doubt that our people would ever have developed an obsession with empire building.

A better question therefore, as far as I am concerned, is would the world be better off, if the British Empire had never existed, and I for one believe that it would. I believe Britain would be better for it, since we would have learned how to live off our own land, how to better look after our needs here at home, instead of going off, murdering and plundering, and profiteering all over the shop. And I believe other nations, such as India, most of the continent of Africa, and so on, would have had a better time of it over the last two hundred years as well, not to mention the whole America issue!

a reply to: boymonkey74

You know, to be honest I always thought the Americans were sore losers and couldn't take criticism. But from being on this site it just feels like the Americans take it like water off a ducks back, but the pomes seem to really take it personal. Seriously, lighten up dudes!...........Just saying.

Whats with cricket anyway? Like, I hate that stupid ridiculous boring game personally. But I mean, you dudes invented the game and you can't even play it, what's with that!?! Is it because most British haven't seen more than a square metre worth of grass in there entire lives? Also, I don't blame you 'chaps' for what you did to the Aboriginals, the french would of done the same. But don't think I've forgotten about WWII!!!

I'm just kidding, don't go and start getting all sensitive on me, lol. I love British people!

That show 'Shameless' was awesome. Way better than the US version, even with those silly accents

I love the British!

If you guys never existed some of my favorite comedians and personalities wouldn't exist either. As well as some of my favorite historical monarchs. Not sure where my family hails from before coming to America, but it's probably England. At least on one side.. Hey, it's a loose tie but it's there!

Oh.. forgot to add .. couple other good things from britain .. cute redheaded irish and scottish women .. along with laphroag and drambuie ..

A little island that ended up with an entire empire who ruled the seas, I'd say we belong on this Earth!

Thing is if British did not exist possibilities are endless what could have gone down in history, maybe someone else had taken their ways and deeds and succeed better or worse. I do not think its about one country that could change our path anyway, its much more deeper than that but perhaps some countries had to do more than others for this path we took obviously. There is always a hope that we can live through changes that unite us as one race but its not looking that likely, at least not any time soon i guess..

the sun never sets on the british empire, because no one trusts the British in the dark. Someone once said, but no for a tiny island we are a bastion of sanity in a crazy world. No Britain no me or you boymonkey, which would be a terrible loss to the world

originally posted by: skyblueworld
A little island that ended up with an entire empire who ruled the seas, I'd say we belong on this Earth!

Was the royal (not royal anymore) family in the tabloids again today? Yeah no different then anyone else on planet earth. Personally I loved some of your movies most like 28 days later was awesome. And beer like Boddingtons beer!!!

a reply to: boymonkey74

Cant really say it be better or worse off. I could see a world were the french tried to dominate the world and in the US it would be cool speaking french. But the reality is there was one major person that changed the course of events for the entire planet. His name was Winston Churchill if he wasnt there when he was no doubt in my mind everyone would be walking around goose stepping and speaking german.This one man changed the course of human history and to think we almost ignored him.

As far as complaints about the british i have a couple first no a cigarette is not a fag. No cars dont have boots thats something on your feet. A trainer is not sneakers!!! A bird is not a woman never really got this one when i visited. A bog isnt a toilet didnt get this one either but do have a funny story with it. Chips are not french fries this confuses tourists need to straighten this one out. And finally a hooker doesnt play soccer unless you pay her enough!!!!!! Oh and one more thing this is to all the Tube riders deodorant find out what it is and use it for gods sakes!!!!!

other than that love visiting and ill take my leave from across the pond.