What have the Brits ever done for us?

[Kirkhill]

As a Brit, and a settler, and unapologetic supporter of the empire...

45 of the Greatest British Inventions of All Time

The modern world would look very different without these British inventions which have turned out to be some of the greatest

interestingengineering.com

List of British innovations and discoveries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

.....

Tired of apologising.
Tired of fools not understanding where they came from and how they came to have the life they have.

And .....

 

[Kirkhill]

British contributions to governance include the Westminster system (parliamentary democracy, rule of law), constitutional monarchy (limited executive power), common law, civil service, devolution, local government (corporations/boards), parliamentary scrutiny, human rights concepts (via empire abolition/reform), independent judiciary, and introducing Western models (education, administration) globally, shaping modern governance worldwide despite complex colonial legacies.

Core Principles & Systems

• Parliamentary Democracy: The concept of an elected legislature (Parliament) with supreme power, accountable to the people, with a government drawn from it.
• Constitutional Monarchy: The Sovereign acts as Head of State, but political power rests with Parliament, limiting executive authority (e.g., Royal Prerogative powers are exercised by ministers).
• Rule of Law & Common Law: Emphasis on laws applying equally to all, independent courts, and judge-made law (common law) developing over time.
• Independent Civil Service: A professional, impartial body serving the government of the day, not political factions, placed on a statutory footing.
• Separation of Powers: Evolving separation between legislative (Parliament), executive (Government), and judicial (Courts) functions, with mechanisms for checks and balances.

Institutional & Administrative Models

• Westminster System: The model of government adopted by many former colonies (Canada, Australia, India), featuring Prime Ministers, Cabinets, and Question Time.
• Local Governance: Introduction of municipal corporations and district boards for local administration with elected members.
• Devolution: Transferring legislative and executive powers to regional governments (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).
• Judicial Independence: Establishing courts separate from direct government control, protecting rights and ensuring fair trials.

Global Impact (Via British Empire)

• Abolition of Slavery: Britain's naval power was crucial in suppressing the transatlantic slave trade, a major moral/governance shift.
• Spread of English Language: Facilitated global communication and legal/administrative practices.
• Introduced Western Education/Law: Established legal systems and educational institutions in colonies, shaping new elites and governing structures.
• Chartered Companies & Administration: Used bodies like the East India Company to establish administration, laying groundwork for modern states (e.g., India, Nigeria).

Modern Contributions

• UN Peacekeeping: Contributing personnel and expertise to global stability operations.
• Constitutional Reform: Ongoing efforts to modernize Parliament (House of Lords reform, accountability) and define national values/rights.

And....

 

[Kirkhill]

British contributions to capitalism involve pioneering industrialization fueled by colonial exploitation and the slave trade, creating early global finance, while its socialism emerged from industrial hardships, giving rise to influential thinkers (Owen, Morris), the powerful Labour movement, the welfare state (NHS), and models like democratic socialism and the "British Road to Socialism," blending radical ideas with practical, parliamentary reforms.

Contributions to Capitalism

• Industrial Revolution: Britain spearheaded the shift from agrarian to industrial economies, creating factory systems, coal mining, and textile mills, fundamentally changing work and production.
• Colonialism & Slavery: The slave trade and colonial exploitation provided capital, raw materials, and markets, significantly boosting British industry and early capitalism.
• Enclosures: The enclosure of common lands forcibly displaced rural populations, creating the necessary industrial workforce.
• Finance & Trade: Britain established early global financial systems, facilitating capitalist expansion.

Contributions to Socialism

• Utopian Socialism: Figures like Robert Owen (New Lanark) pioneered improved working conditions, education, and co-operative movements, influencing early socialist thought.
• Working-Class Organization: Britain saw the first autonomous trade unions and strong working-class movements, including the Chartists, advocating for workers' rights.
• Labour Party & Welfare State: The Labour Party's 1945 victory established key socialist reforms like nationalization, full employment goals, and the NHS, creating a robust welfare state.
• "British Road to Socialism": A unique path to socialism through democratic, parliamentary means, adapting Marxist ideas to the British context, focusing on social change via the existing state.
• Radical Thinkers: Influential socialist thinkers like William Morris and historians of the New Left (Thompson, Hill) drew on British radical traditions.

Interplay & Evolution

• From Revolution to Reform: British socialism evolved from radical, utopian visions to pragmatic parliamentary action, establishing a mixed economy with strong social safety nets, differing from purely revolutionary models.
• Debates on Planning: Post-war attempts at economic planning saw shifts from detailed control towards market management, highlighting ongoing tensions between socialist ideals and capitalist realities.

Banks and bankers, jobs and unions, Adam Smith and Owen, Levellers and Chartists and Masons, Co-operatives, insurance funds and pensions.

 

[GR66]

British contributions to capitalism involve pioneering industrialization fueled by colonial exploitation and the slave trade, creating early global finance, while its socialism emerged from industrial hardships, giving rise to influential thinkers (Owen, Morris), the powerful Labour movement, the welfare state (NHS), and models like democratic socialism and the "British Road to Socialism," blending radical ideas with practical, parliamentary reforms.

Contributions to Capitalism

• Industrial Revolution: Britain spearheaded the shift from agrarian to industrial economies, creating factory systems, coal mining, and textile mills, fundamentally changing work and production.
• Colonialism & Slavery: The slave trade and colonial exploitation provided capital, raw materials, and markets, significantly boosting British industry and early capitalism.
• Enclosures: The enclosure of common lands forcibly displaced rural populations, creating the necessary industrial workforce.
• Finance & Trade: Britain established early global financial systems, facilitating capitalist expansion.

Contributions to Socialism

• Utopian Socialism: Figures like Robert Owen (New Lanark) pioneered improved working conditions, education, and co-operative movements, influencing early socialist thought.
• Working-Class Organization: Britain saw the first autonomous trade unions and strong working-class movements, including the Chartists, advocating for workers' rights.
• Labour Party & Welfare State: The Labour Party's 1945 victory established key socialist reforms like nationalization, full employment goals, and the NHS, creating a robust welfare state.
• "British Road to Socialism": A unique path to socialism through democratic, parliamentary means, adapting Marxist ideas to the British context, focusing on social change via the existing state.
• Radical Thinkers: Influential socialist thinkers like William Morris and historians of the New Left (Thompson, Hill) drew on British radical traditions.

Interplay & Evolution

• From Revolution to Reform: British socialism evolved from radical, utopian visions to pragmatic parliamentary action, establishing a mixed economy with strong social safety nets, differing from purely revolutionary models.
• Debates on Planning: Post-war attempts at economic planning saw shifts from detailed control towards market management, highlighting ongoing tensions between socialist ideals and capitalist realities.

Banks and bankers, jobs and unions, Adam Smith and Owen, Levellers and Chartists and Masons, Co-operatives, insurance funds and pensions.

Yeah, but other than that???

 

[Kirkhill]

Yeah, but other than that???

F*ck Ya!

 

[Good2Golf]

Exemplary case for action regarding dental hygiene and care?

 

[Kirkhill]

Exemplary case for action regarding dental hygiene and care?

A little imperfection adds humanity.

 

[brihard]

Wha’ abou’ the aqueducts?