British colonialism killed 100 million Indians in 40 years

[Anonymous]

The Inca Empire, Aztec Empire, etc., etc., etc. were FAR worse than the British. The Aztecs raped women of conquered towns in front of their families, dissecting conquered men on the pyramid mounts. Oh but the British enacted self-interested economic policies while they were modernizing India! The horror!

Hell, the prior rules of India were FAR worse to their own people. By what yardstick should we measure the British empire? What government of the 18th and 19th centuries was so perfect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a very weird thread

A lot of people and civilizations in history did a lot of crappy stuff. We focus on the especially terrible (holocaust/ slavery) bc the human to human evil is recent and can be understood as evil even absent context. What do you want us to do about the macro economic public health impacts of a 2 century old regime? I don’t think we can hold Harry styles and Adele accountable

Well you can start by saying Uk was built on a Holocaust of 100 plus people. It is weird people think the legal system imposed on these people makes a everything okay.

No, the British committed some atrocities in India but this study uses some questionable assumptions and points fingers without much historical support.

The periods of time when the British were in control were peaceful, during the times of civil unrest, those were the periods of famine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

China used to occupy about 1/3 of its current area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Inca Empire, Aztec Empire, etc., etc., etc. were FAR worse than the British. The Aztecs raped women of conquered towns in front of their families, dissecting conquered men on the pyramid mounts. Oh but the British enacted self-interested economic policies while they were modernizing India! The horror!

Hell, the prior rules of India were FAR worse to their own people. By what yardstick should we measure the British empire? What government of the 18th and 19th centuries was so perfect?

Yes those brown people needed the British to come and save them! They were nothing but savages before the British came and stole everything they could. It was a great trade over kill 100 million people and leave 100’s of millions more in poverty. The rape of Indian was the main source of Britain’s wealth for centuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Inca Empire, Aztec Empire, etc., etc., etc. were FAR worse than the British. The Aztecs raped women of conquered towns in front of their families, dissecting conquered men on the pyramid mounts. Oh but the British enacted self-interested economic policies while they were modernizing India! The horror!

Hell, the prior rules of India were FAR worse to their own people. By what yardstick should we measure the British empire? What government of the 18th and 19th centuries was so perfect?

Yes those brown people needed the British to come and save them! They were nothing but savages before the British came and stole everything they could. It was a great trade over kill 100 million people and leave 100’s of millions more in poverty. The rape of Indian was the main source of Britain’s wealth for centuries.

This study shows that's not the case. Pesky facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a very weird thread

A lot of people and civilizations in history did a lot of crappy stuff. We focus on the especially terrible (holocaust/ slavery) bc the human to human evil is recent and can be understood as evil even absent context. What do you want us to do about the macro economic public health impacts of a 2 century old regime? I don’t think we can hold Harry styles and Adele accountable

Well you can start by saying Uk was built on a Holocaust of 100 plus people. It is weird people think the legal system imposed on these people makes a everything okay.

No, the British committed some atrocities in India but this study uses some questionable assumptions and points fingers without much historical support.

The periods of time when the British were in control were peaceful, during the times of civil unrest, those were the periods of famine.

Seems like a lot of famines during British rule. For sheer per capita impact, it doesn't come close to what they British did to the Irish, but by sheer numbers they were happy to let a lot of Indians starve to death

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_major_famines_in_India_during_British_rule

[Anonymous]

If British colonialism was such a good thing we wouldn't have had the Boston Tea Party and a revolution.

Some of you are so comfortable in your privilege you would twist yourself into pretzel to try to minimize and justify the atrocities committed by your favorite colonizers. Maybe try to see it through the eyes of the colonized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

You’re kind of letting people off the hook when you liken colonialism, a policy choice, to plate tectonics.

I also love when people point out, as if this is supposed to be a new fact, that people around the world have been terrible to one another at varying scales and degrees since people existed. The British people claimed to be both more modern and superior. Being as cruel as they were was indefensible then and it’s indefensible now, and yes people on this very thread have defended colonialism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

You’re kind of letting people off the hook when you liken colonialism, a policy choice, to plate tectonics.

I also love when people point out, as if this is supposed to be a new fact, that people around the world have been terrible to one another at varying scales and degrees since people existed. The British people claimed to be both more modern and superior. Being as cruel as they were was indefensible then and it’s indefensible now, and yes people on this very thread have defended colonialism.

DP. Not defending but pointing out that British rule lasted for so long I'm India because they were a lot better than the alternative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

You’re kind of letting people off the hook when you liken colonialism, a policy choice, to plate tectonics.

I also love when people point out, as if this is supposed to be a new fact, that people around the world have been terrible to one another at varying scales and degrees since people existed. The British people claimed to be both more modern and superior. Being as cruel as they were was indefensible then and it’s indefensible now, and yes people on this very thread have defended colonialism.

DP. Not defending but pointing out that British rule lasted for so long I'm India because they were a lot better than the alternative.

Better for whom?

[Anonymous]

But, Indians worship white people , no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

You’re kind of letting people off the hook when you liken colonialism, a policy choice, to plate tectonics.

I also love when people point out, as if this is supposed to be a new fact, that people around the world have been terrible to one another at varying scales and degrees since people existed. The British people claimed to be both more modern and superior. Being as cruel as they were was indefensible then and it’s indefensible now, and yes people on this very thread have defended colonialism.

DP. Not defending but pointing out that British rule lasted for so long I'm India because they were a lot better than the alternative.

Better for whom?

Better for the Indians. They chose to keep and support British rule rather than the previous system of feuding and instability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

Well said.

It’s not well said. The British Empire killed more people vs Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union and Imperial Japan combined. Should we celebrating the “benefits” produced by these regimes? The Indians fought many revolts to over throw the British but the continual rape of India was the main source of revenues for the British. This is why India was never “set free” till the British were forced to set them free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre thread. I mean no one is advocating for colonization to start back up again? Human history is full of people oppressing, rising up, and starting over to try again. Whole populations have been wiped out along the way. Cultures lost forever, great crimes committed. And great progress has happened alongside that.

Some cultures have been fortunate to remain fairly untouched for thousands of years like China and Japan and others have been through repeated upheavals.

Like the tectonic plates and volcanos you can say that great progress comes from great change. Sometimes change comes at you from within and sometimes externally. Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is horrible. But change has moved the world forward.

The current monarchy has essentially nothing to do with colonization other than that they have not actively set all these countries 'free' but they have essentially started saying 'whatever' to the ones who are seeking independence.

This is like slavery, it is a horrible thing, no one thinks it was good. But it has, for better or worse, shaped the modern world. All we can do is work with what is in front of us.

What should the UK do with this study OP? And this is truly not a defense of colonialism but it was kind of something EVERYONE was doing at the time. The way we think about the world and other cultures has really changed in the last century. But people have been dying because of cruel powerful people for all of human history, this is nothing new or unique to Britain.

You’re kind of letting people off the hook when you liken colonialism, a policy choice, to plate tectonics.

I also love when people point out, as if this is supposed to be a new fact, that people around the world have been terrible to one another at varying scales and degrees since people existed. The British people claimed to be both more modern and superior. Being as cruel as they were was indefensible then and it’s indefensible now, and yes people on this very thread have defended colonialism.

DP. Not defending but pointing out that British rule lasted for so long I'm India because they were a lot better than the alternative.

Better for whom?

Better for the Indians. They chose to keep and support British rule rather than the previous system of feuding and instability.

+1 just think of all of the civilization innovations that the British introduced https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowing_from_a_gun