Empire, David Olusoga at his best.

(correction, first sentence, "Our world" not "Our word"

Whitewavemark2

REKA

No idea why people seem to take pleasure in debating how awful we have been in the past.

*The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there*

Pleasure is an odd word to use. And what happened in the past directly affects every single person on earth.

Our word, our economic situation, the boundaries of each country, the politics and ideologies, are all, all shaped by the past. We can't go forward without understanding mistakes made!

As regards, the remark made about being glad to learn English, that is because historically the dominance of the UK and the US, came at the same time as mass international communication developed, therefore more countries teach English as the second language.

GN's may have noticed it's not necessary an advantage.

why do so many want to come to the UK
its because they have learnt or have a modicum of English. .......and its just as well really, or we wouldn't have enough doctors and nurses in the UK.

Pleasure is an odd word to use
Trichotillomania might be more appropriate!

REKA

No idea why people seem to take pleasure in debating how awful we have been in the past.

*The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there*

Pleasure is an odd word to use. And what happened in the past directly affects every single person on earth.

No idea why people seem to take pleasure in debating how awful we have been in the past.

The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there

Wyllow3

WithNobsOnIt

Yes l have watched all of the episodes and found it enlightening and informative, on some aspects of how the present day UK came about

Where it falls down for me is. The way in which some of these slaves were violently rounded up and sold as slaves to the British and other countries by their fellow countryman for large profits

For years his was a routine commonplace practice

This is a very controversial subject,which has been swept under the carpet and hushed up for years.

Maybe Mr Olusoga can make a programme on this subject in the future.

It's been known for years and not hushed up at all. I did history at Uni in the 1970's.

^It doesn't make what we did OK, does it^

It happened, its history, we were not born and not responsible. It was a different time with different mores. We should not look back and judge but just accept our history as there is nothing we can do to change it.

As regards slaving already going on in Africa, what we did was make it worse, as we were a huge "new market" for the slaving going going on already

Ologusa did use part of one the programmes to describe the West African slave trade.
Watch the programmes and be educated, if you so chose.

I heard something very surprising on one or other of those shows where a celebrity visits India. Can't remember which one. The celebrity was talking to an Indian teacher who said 'The British gave us many things. Education. Law for all. And the most valuable thing of all - the English language, which has enabled our country to take part in global enterprises.' Probably not verbatim, it was a while ago.

Probably the only time I have ever heard a former British colonist have anything good to say about the British, so it stuck in my mind.

I was also surprised to see that the only trains available to most are the original railways and trains installed by the British during the Raj, without which many Indians would be unable to travel large distances. Sadly the safety and maintenance aspects of British rail don't apply so they are beginning to fall apart and have accidents.

WithNobsOnIt

Yes l have watched all of the episodes and found it enlightening and informative, on some aspects of how the present day UK came about

Where it falls down for me is. The way in which some of these slaves were violently rounded up and sold as slaves to the British and other countries by their fellow countryman for large profits

For years his was a routine commonplace practice

This is a very controversial subject,which has been swept under the carpet and hushed up for years.

Maybe Mr Olusoga can make a programme on this subject in the future.

It's been known for years and not hushed up at all. I did history at Uni in the 1970's.

It doesn't make what we did OK, does it

Actually thats where you're wrong ..Oliver Cromwell sent out Irish catholics as indentured slaves to the plantations for minor crimes….And often they were not paid and when their time was up they were Not released..

I’m afraid I don’t like him, so don’t watch his programmes any more.

Thought you might like a picture of this:-
Mary was ‘adopted’ by a local family, went in to marry and had a number of children. She died in her ‘90s.
Her statue was unveiled a couple of weeks ago, well supported by the locals, who braved dreadful weather.

Primrose53

Whatever programme he is on he never fails to bring up racism and how “his people” have suffered under British rule. He also talks over people very loudly and does not listen to anybody else’s opinion. He never gives the other side of things as someone above mentioned earlier.

What is “the other side” of slavery? Interested to hear about that.

You seem to think the subject unworthy of discussion, better forgotten.

Indentured workers were paid, not much but they received pay.
They were free after their period of indenture; usually 3-5 years.

No such luxury for slaves. They had no rights whatsoever, not even that of animals.

David Olusoga is not, in all probability, descended from slaves as his background is British/Scottish/Nigerian.
It has been questioned if his ancestors could have been involved in slavery as many Nigerian tribal leaders were, but that has not been established.

It's his field of expertise. He knows his subject.

if you were an ancestor of slaves

descendant!!

Whitewavemark2

Primrose53

Whatever programme he is on he never fails to bring up racism and how “his people” have suffered under British rule. He also talks over people very loudly and does not listen to anybody else’s opinion. He never gives the other side of things as someone above mentioned earlier.

😄😄 if you were an ancestor of slaves in the British empire, what would you “balanced”argument sound like?

From descendant of slaves to National Treasure?

Primrose53

Whatever programme he is on he never fails to bring up racism and how “his people” have suffered under British rule. He also talks over people very loudly and does not listen to anybody else’s opinion. He never gives the other side of things as someone above mentioned earlier.

😄😄 if you were an ancestor of slaves in the British empire, what would you “balanced”argument sound like?

Whatever programme he is on he never fails to bring up racism and how “his people” have suffered under British rule. He also talks over people very loudly and does not listen to anybody else’s opinion. He never gives the other side of things as someone above mentioned earlier.

I think he did at one point. How it looked as if they would eventually become free, but not all made it through the difficult work forced on them.

PaynesGray

He has. 2015's Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners on iPlayer.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b062nqpd/britains-forgotten-slave-owners-1-profit-and-loss

Perhaps he mentions it on there, I can't listen at the moment.

WithNobsOnIt

Yes l have watched all of the episodes and found it enlightening and informative, on some aspects of how the present day UK came about

Where it falls down for me is. The way in which some of these slaves were violently rounded up and sold as slaves to the British and other countries by their fellow countryman for large profits

For years his was a routine commonplace practice

This is a very controversial subject,which has been swept under the carpet and hushed up for years.

Maybe Mr Olusoga can make a programme on this subject in the future.

Did David Olusoga mention the black slave owners too, ie the plantation owners who had 20+ slaves?

Indians, Irish, Chinese and others, too, were taken out to the Caribbean as indentured workers after the abolition of slavery, but we hear little of them.

He has. 2015's Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners on iPlayer.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b062nqpd/britains-forgotten-slave-owners-1-profit-and-loss

Yes l have watched all of the episodes and found it enlightening and informative, on some aspects of how the present day UK came about

Where it falls down for me is. The way in which some of these slaves were violently rounded up and sold as slaves to the British and other countries by their fellow countryman for large profits

For years his was a routine commonplace practice

This is a very controversial subject,which has been swept under the carpet and hushed up for years.

Maybe Mr Olusoga can make a programme on this subject in the future.