Controversy
Am I the only one who thinks the British Empire is overrated? They were only so dominant in the 19th century because France, their great rival, stagnated demographically. If France were still the demographic monster of the time of Louis XIV, the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, I doubt the British would have had as much free rein over the world.
In fact, when more populous nations like Germany, the USA and the USSR industrialized, they left the British in the dust in total industrial production.
Am I the only one who thinks the British Empire is overrated? They were only so dominant in the 19th century because France, their great rival, stagnated demographically. If France were still the demographic monster of the time of Louis XIV, the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, I doubt the British would have had as much free rein over the world.
In fact, when more populous nations like Germany, the USA and the USSR industrialized, they left the British in the dust in total industrial production.