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So was it all bad colonialism ?????
It seems not ..... https://www.hoover.org/research/bright-side-british-colonialism
From the article ~
"What does all of this mean for economic growth today? There are persistent differences in economic growth across the countries of the world, but many of the most successful ones are former members of the British Empire. This is no coincidence. At the time that England was establishing its empire across the globe, it was the most successful economy in the world and the greatest military power. The institutions underlying economic growth—secure property rights, rule of law, contract enforcement, active markets—were in place in Britain. The colonies offered a laboratory for further improvements, especially in terms of the demarcation of land rights."
And the conclusion ?
Several conclusions can be drawn from this historical experience. One is that there are advantages to having been a British colony because of the beneficial institutions that could be transplanted from England. Second, the transplanting of institutions requires some centralized control, but at the same time, flexibility to local conditions. Third, to this day, the effects of those institutions persist. Once in place, they have long-lasting implications for the countries’ patterns and levels of economic growth. Fortunately for the inhabitants of most of the former British Empire, even those in tropical countries, institutions that promoted growth were adopted, in some cases over 200 years ago, and their advantages remain.
It seems not ..... https://www.hoover.org/research/bright-side-british-colonialism
From the article ~
"What does all of this mean for economic growth today? There are persistent differences in economic growth across the countries of the world, but many of the most successful ones are former members of the British Empire. This is no coincidence. At the time that England was establishing its empire across the globe, it was the most successful economy in the world and the greatest military power. The institutions underlying economic growth—secure property rights, rule of law, contract enforcement, active markets—were in place in Britain. The colonies offered a laboratory for further improvements, especially in terms of the demarcation of land rights."
And the conclusion ?
Several conclusions can be drawn from this historical experience. One is that there are advantages to having been a British colony because of the beneficial institutions that could be transplanted from England. Second, the transplanting of institutions requires some centralized control, but at the same time, flexibility to local conditions. Third, to this day, the effects of those institutions persist. Once in place, they have long-lasting implications for the countries’ patterns and levels of economic growth. Fortunately for the inhabitants of most of the former British Empire, even those in tropical countries, institutions that promoted growth were adopted, in some cases over 200 years ago, and their advantages remain.
