Ilse’s Reviews > The British Empire: A Very Short Introduction > Status Update
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The territories that formed the British Empire ranged from tiny islands to vast segments of the world's major continents. Stretched across each ocean and time zone, the proud claim that 'the sun never set on the British Empire' was actually true (some said that this was because the British could not be trusted in the dark).
— Oct 17, 2026 05:44AM
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The Empire was a product of the rise of global capitalism, an international order underwritten by Britain until replaced by America in the 20th century. Imperialism’s role in brokering global capitalism and deepening westernization was fundamentally more significant than the British Empire per se.
— Nov 01, 2026 12:27PM
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Jan-Maat
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Oct 17, 2026 05:50AM
Certainly not! And best not to trust the British in broad daylight either, tricksy buggers the lot of them...
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Who can one trust, in the dark :D? I have met only a few British people, and they were kind and lovely (and one so adorable the encounter was life-changing :))) to me, but then I am from that country which has a reputation for the dumbness of its residents ;-). I came across a diametrically opposed, even loftly vision on the English in The Maias which I'll post as soon as I can find the translation in English of the quote - both views made me laugh (and reminded me of a book I want to read, Perfidious Albion).
Ha, jouw reactie, Ilse, doet mij denken aan meneer Weidevogel, een soort spotvogel.
I live in an outpost of the British Empire. They have been trying for at least 20 years to persuade us to go independent. We look at the islands that have become independent and all of them have crooks for premiers. So we think we don't need a crook-for-life, 4 years is long enough. Also they send us used library books!
Jan wrote: "Ha, jouw reactie, Ilse, doet mij denken aan meneer Weidevogel, een soort spotvogel."Jan, wie is meneer Weidevogel? Is hij een personage uit een boek of een typetje uit een satirisch of kinderprogramma (Fabeltjeskrant)? Het is me niet gelukt hem terug te vinden op het web...
Petra - Online but emotionally in airplane mode wrote: "I live in an outpost of the British Empire. They have been trying for at least 20 years to persuade us to go independent. We look at the islands that have become independent and all of them have crooks for premiers."Petra, sometimes (or often?) change is overrated, bringing more misery than improvement. You remind me of the wisdom of Epicurus, to live hidden. Is that a specific government program (charity?), the sending of used library books rather than new ones? I like your optimistic view on the temporality of political leadership, it is one of the strengths of democracy I sometimes tend to forget.
Ilse wrote: "Is that a specific government program (charity?), the sending of used library books rather than new ones?.."It's hilarious. One of the richest London boroughs sends us their used library books because we are so poor. A private school in the US sends teenagers for a week a year to help renovate the church and school of the oldest and richest church on the island. Quite funny really considering it is a rich island. I think it comes from helping the poor black people :-D
Not sure I like the tone of the phrase in brackets. Better than Perfidious Albion I suppose .... mustn't grumble.
Petra thinks a little wine & chocolate might help wrote: It's hilarious. One of the richest London boroughs sends us their used library books because we are so poor. Sounds quite the mismatch :) - is it because the island used to be poor in the past?
Ray wrote: "Not sure I like the tone of the phrase in brackets. Better than Perfidious Albion I suppose .... mustn't grumble."Such generalisations are better not to be taken too seriously, isn't it, Ray? But I find it interesting to learn about such perceptions, apparently people feel a huge need to categorize and generalize things in the struggle to understand the world - and stereotyping is a handy tool in that respect.