Introduction
Britain's colonial history covers much of its modern history over recent centuries. At its peak in 1922, it governed around a fifth of the world's population and a quarter of the world's total land area. Although its proponents claim it brought much needed economic developments, critics point to massacres, famines and concentration camps.
A YouGov poll in 2016 found the British public to be proud of the British Empire and its colonial past with 44% were proud of Britain's colonial history, 21% regretting it happened and 23% holding neither view.
Britain and its elites have a long history of crimes against humanity along with numerous attempts to not only conceal such crimes, but rewrite history to prevent them tarnishing the country's image.
These crimes include:
Boer concentration camps
The British rounded up around a sixth of the Boer population - mainly women and children - and detained them in camps, which were overcrowded and prone to outbreaks of disease, with scant food rations. Management of the camps was characterised by poor administration by the British and a callous lack of care.
Of the 107,000 people interned in the camps, around 25,000 Boers died, along with an unknown number of black Africans - many estimate a similar number.
Irish Famine
The soldiers, under the orders of Brigadier Reginald Dyer, kept firing until they ran out of ammunition, killing between 379 and 1,000 protesters and injuring another 1,100 within 10 minutes.
Brigadier Dyer was later lauded a hero by the British public, who raised £26,000 for him as a thank you.
Iranian famine during WW1
Historian Professor Mohammad Gholi Majid of Princeton University in his book, "The Great Famine & Genocide in Iran: 1917-1919" (2013) cites the American Archives reported a widespread famine during WW1. The spread of an epidemic disease estimating deaths ensued when the British prevented grain imports causing a famine killing around 8-10 million during the 1917-19 period, 40% of the population, making this the greatest genocide of the 20th century and Iran the biggest victim of World War I (p.71).
But this event soon became the subject of a British cover up. The documents published by the British government overlook the genocide, and consequently, the tragedy underwent an attempted cover-up by the British government. The Foreign Office "Handbook on Iran" of 1919 mentioned nothing related to the Great Famine.
Mau Mau Uprising
Members of the Kikuyu tribe were detained in concentration camps, where they were systematically tortured and suffered serious sexual assault.
Estimates of the deaths vary widely because the British systematically destroyed most records. The historian David Anderson estimates there were 20,000, whilst the historian Caroline Elkins believes up to 100,000 could have died. The latter figure appears to be closer to the historic reality.
Bangal Famine of 1943
One of the worst famines to hit India occurred in 1943, when up to four million Bengalis starved to death when Winston Churchill chose to divert food to stockpiles in Europe for potential future need for British soldiers and countries such as Greece whilst a deadly famine swept through Bengal killing millions.
Speaking of the Bengal famine in 1943, Churchill remarked:
"I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion. The famine was their own fault for breeding like rabbits."
A common myth told about Britain and the colonisation of India was there was no economic benefit to Britain, the administration of India was a cost to Britain, a gesture of benevolence.
Renowned economist Utsa Patnaik published research via Columbia University Press destroying this narrative. Drawing on nearly two centuries of data on tax and trade, Britain drained a nearly $45 trillion from India from 1765 to 1938. For perspective, that is 17 times the total annual gross domestic product of UK today.
At core was theft on a grand scale. The East India Company began collecting taxes in India, and instead of spending them on the populus, they used a third to fund the purchase of Indian goods - thus acquiring them for free. Some goods were consumed in Britain and the rest were re-exported elsewhere, allowing Britain to finance imports from Europe, including strategic materials like iron, tar and timber, essential to Britain's industrialisation. Indeed, the Industrial Revolution depended in large part on this systematic theft.
Cover-ups
Britain has a long record of its several attempts to conceal history and rewrite it in their own favour. One of the clear examples is the "Jameson Raid"; a failed coup against Paul Kruger's government in South Africa. This raid was planned and executed directly by the British government of Joseph Chamberlain under the orders of Queen Victoria. In 2002, Sir Graham Bower's memoirs were published in South Africa, revealing these involvements that had been covered up for more than a century, focusing attention on Bower as a scapegoat for the incident.
The papers at Hanslope Park also include the reports on the "elimination" of the colonial authority's enemies in 1950s Malaya; records that show ministers in London knew of the torture and murder of Mau Mau insurgents in Kenya and roasting them alive. These records may include those related to Iran's Great Famine. Why were these records that cover the darkest secrets of the British Empire destroyed or kept secret? Simply because they might 'embarrass' Her Majesty's government.
Julian Bharier, a scholar who studied Iran's population, built his "backward projection" estimation of Iran's population (13) based on reports from this "handbook" and, as a result, ignored the effect of the Great Famine on Iran's population in 1917. Bharier's estimations were used by some authors to deny the occurrence of the Great Famine or to underestimate its impacts.
Conclusion
Britain arguably outdid its contempirary colonial empires the close in terms of crimes against humanity was probably the Spanish Empire and prior to that, the Mongols. More recently America appears to have taken the lead whilst Russia is arguably second.
Anglophones often speak of the British empire as an enlightened empire, its history of colonialism romanticised. Those living under it along with their descendants however saw its dark reality as brutal, cruel and exploitative.
References
Cobain, Ian, Bowcott, Owen and Norton-Taylor, Richard. Britain destroyed records of colonial crimes. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/apr/18/britain-destroyed-records-colonial-crimes
Britain's Cover Up, http://www.irishholocaust.org/britain'scoverup
Coogan, Tim Pat. The Famine Plot: England's Role in Ireland's Greatest Tragedy.
Majd, Mohammad Gholi. The Great Famine & Genocide in Iran: 1917-1919.
Bower, Graham. Sir Graham Bower's Secret History of the Jameson Raid and the South African Crisis, 1895-1902.
Majd, Mohammad Gholi. Persia in World War I and Its Conquest by Great Britain.
O'Dowd, Niall. Proving the Irish Famine was genocide by the British.http://www.irishcentral.com/news/proving-the-irish-famine-was-genocide-by-the-british-tim-pat-coogan-moves-famine-history-unto-a-new-plane-181984471-238161151.html
Edited by Shubhra Chakrabarti and Utsa Patnaik, Agrarian and Other Histories
Sniegoski, Stephen J. Iran as a Twentieth Century Victim: 1900 Through the Aftermath of World War II.
Warfield, Brian. History Corner: The Great Irish Famine. wolfetonesofficialsite.com. http://www.wolfetonesofficialsite.com/famine.htm
Walton, Calder. Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War, and the Twilight of Empire.
Britain's exploitation of other nations can be described as Machiavellian in nature, characterized by self-interest and a diplomatic facade. This is exemplified in the country's colonization of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, where the British first arrived as traders in the 16th century, but over time, established permanent colonies and gained more and more authority over the region.
The process of colonization was slow but efficient, and happened in several stages. First, the British would arrive at a territory and present themselves as traders, bringing goods such as tea to the region. Once they were granted trading rights, they would establish permanent colonies, which was known as British colonialism.
The British would first appear as just traders who bring goods to that territory. And as soon as their influence grew, they started to gain more and more authority. Such was the case with Indo-Pak subcontinent. Britishers came to India in the 16th century with the intention of trading and diplomacy, and 150 years ago, most of the subcontinent was under the direct rule of the British Royal Family.
This 150-year process was assuredly slow but very efficient, and happened in a series of steps:
1- The British arrive at the place in context, claiming themselves as traders and bringing goods such as tea.
2- Once granted trading rights, they would set up permanent colonies. This was called British colonialism.
3- Once the British had successfully incorporated into the community, they began to search for local resources.
4- Assisted by locals, they defeated local rulers, captured their lands, and took over. This was how Robert Clive defeated Nawab Sirajud Daulah's forces in Buxar and Plassey as his general turned out to be a traitor.
This way British added small princely states, from India to British India.
Conclusion
In this way, the British gradually added small princely states, from India to British India, through a combination of diplomacy, economic influence, and military force. This 150-year process was the result of the British Machiavellian strategy of disguising their true intentions and gradually gaining power and control over the region. They most certainly were not a force for good in the region or any region they entered.
Background:
During its peak, the British Empire was the largest in history, exerting control over vast territories across the globe. This era, particularly between the 18th and early 20th centuries, was characterized by a mix of exploration, colonization, and often, exploitation. As a dominant global power, Britain's policies and actions in these territories had profound impacts on local populations. Some of these actions, viewed through a modern lens, are considered morally reprehensible and are often cited as examples of imperial overreach and human rights violations.
Events
Britain's history, particularly during its imperial era, includes several events that have been described or criticised as crimes against humanity. Here are some significant instances:
1. The Bengal Famine of 1943:
This catastrophic famine in British-ruled India led to the deaths of an estimated 2-3 million people. The famine was caused by a combination of war-related factors, policy failures, and negligence. The British government's decision to prioritize military needs over civilian food supplies, the implementation of 'scorched earth' policies to counter the Japanese advance, and the failure to provide adequate relief have been severely criticized. Some historians, like Madhusree Mukerjee, argue that these actions and inactions amounted to a crime against humanity.
2. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, 1919:
This was a brutal incident in Amritsar, where British troops under General Dyer fired on a peaceful gathering, killing hundreds. The massacre was widely condemned and is seen as a symbol of British colonial cruelty and repression in India.
3. Kenyan Mau Mau Uprising (1952-1960):
During the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya, British colonial authorities implemented a harsh policy of detention and punishment. This included widespread use of torture, forced labor, and mass internment of Kenyans in camps under deplorable conditions. The extent and brutality of these measures have led to them being characterized as crimes against humanity.
4. Partition of India, 1947:
The hasty and poorly planned partition of India by the British upon their exit led to one of the largest mass migrations in human history and communal violence on a massive scale. While the direct responsibility of the British in this violence is debated, their role in creating the conditions leading to it is a subject of criticism.
5. Irish Famine (1845-1849):
The British government's inadequate response to the Great Famine in Ireland, where over a million people died and another million emigrated, has been criticized. The government's adherence to free market principles and reluctance to intervene effectively in the crisis exacerbated the situation.
6. Use of Chemical Weapons in Mesopotamia (1919):
Britain used chemical weapons in Iraq (then Mesopotamia) to quell uprisings against British rule. The use of such weapons was controversial and has been cited as an early example of the use of chemical warfare against civilian populations.
7. Opium Wars with China (1839-1842, 1856-1860):
Britain's involvement in the Opium Wars significantly impacted China. The British East India Company's illegal opium trade with China and the subsequent military conflicts, fueled by economic interests, inflicted widespread suffering and social disruption on the Chinese population.
8. Boer War Concentration Camps (1899-1902):
During the Second Boer War, the British established concentration camps to control Boer civilians. Poor sanitation and nutrition in these camps resulted in the death of thousands of Boer women and children, raising ethical concerns about the British administration's policies.
9. Assam Bengal Railway Labor Camps (World War II):
Forced labor camps were established in British India during World War II to build the Assam Bengal Railway. The harsh conditions, inadequate food, and lack of medical care resulted in significant casualties among the laborers, leading to allegations of crimes against humanity.
10. Suppression of the Morant Bay Rebellion (1865):
In response to the Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica, the British authorities executed hundreds of Jamaicans and subjected many more to brutal reprisals. The severity of the response raised questions about excessive use of force and potential crimes against humanity.
11. Tasmanian Aboriginal Genocide (19th Century):
The near-extinction of the Tasmanian Aboriginal population is attributed to British colonial policies, including violence, forced relocations, and the spread of diseases. The impact on the indigenous community is considered a historical tragedy.
12. Partition of Palestine (1947):
The British handling of the mandate in Palestine, culminating in the partition plan and the resulting violence, displacement, and long-term regional instability, is a source of significant controversy.
13. Transatlantic Slave Trade:
Although not initiated by Britain, their significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, which involved the forced relocation and enslavement of millions of Africans, is a dark chapter in British history.
14. Cyprus Internment (1950s):
During the 1950s, in response to the Cypriot insurgency against British rule, the British authorities used controversial tactics, including the establishment of internment camps and harsh interrogation techniques.
15. Forced Migration of Chagossians (1960s and 1970s):
The forced displacement of the inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, particularly from Diego Garcia, to create a military base has been criticized as a violation of human rights.
16. Famine in British Somaliland (1940s):
Similar to the Bengal Famine, British policies in Somaliland during World War II led to widespread famine, with inadequate response from the British administration, contributing to significant civilian deaths.
17. Suppression of the Boxer Rebellion (1900):
Britain, alongside other colonial powers, participated in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China. The methods used were often brutal, with large-scale civilian casualties.
18. Use of Batang Kali Massacre (1948):
The killing of 24 unarmed villagers by British troops in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency has been a subject of controversy, often cited as an example of colonial brutality.
19. Australian Aboriginal Treatment:
The treatment of Indigenous Australians by British settlers, including dispossession, violence, and cultural destruction, has had lasting negative effects on Indigenous communities.
Conclusion:
The legacy of the British Empire engaged in actions that inflicted suffering and injustice on numerous peoples and cultures. The acknowledgment and examination of these events are essential in understanding the full scope of British history and its lasting impact on the modern world.
References:
Mukerjee, Madhusree. Churchill's Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India during World War II. Basic Books, 2010.
Anderson, David. Histories of the Hanged: The Dirty War in Kenya and the End of Empire. W.W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Porter, Andrew. European Imperialism, 1860-1914. Palgrave Macmillan, 1994.
Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa. Mariner Books, 1999.
Pakenham, Thomas. The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912. Avon Books, 1991.
Reynolds, E. Bruce. Thailand and Japan's Southern Advance, 1940-1945. Macmillan, 1994.
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