I can't even see us Canadians remaining quiescent at these developments, especially if the Imperials try to muck up trade with the US. Opposition to this regressive overlord could be a unifying force for Anglo-Franco relations.
Malê Rising
- Thread starter Jonathan Edelstein
- Start date
This'll end well...
On the matter of women having the vote taken away, in Victoria the 1863 electoral act accidentally enfranchised rate paying women, who proceeded to vote in the 1864 general election. Depressingly this was "fixed" in 1865 and Victoria became the last colony to enfranchise women, but is a fun footnote nevertheless.
On the matter of women having the vote taken away, in Victoria the 1863 electoral act accidentally enfranchised rate paying women, who proceeded to vote in the 1864 general election. Depressingly this was "fixed" in 1865 and Victoria became the last colony to enfranchise women, but is a fun footnote nevertheless.
...Why do I want the Imperial Government to stuff itself over it's policies? The sheer thought of this... and the colonies'... *mad*
...Magnificent update, Jonathan. Now let's smash the British Empire!!
...Magnificent update, Jonathan. Now let's smash the British Empire!!
Last edited:
Looks like the British Empire is going to take a couple of fairly nasty lessons.
The War of Indian Independence is probably going to be relatively short - there's no way a turbulent, cash-strapped Britain can hold onto India through brute force, and they are not really considering partnership with Indian upper classes (what has held together the Raj anyway so far, like IOTL).
By the ring of it, there's no sector of Indian society to which the Imperials can appeal - they despise them all and have pissed off the most of them.
Divisions among the Indians may delay the inevitable - but the British are not in a good position to exploit them, and as soon as their position in India appears less tenable, other flashpoints would probably turn hot - Ireland being the likeliest to do so, but Jamaica and East Africa also.
The Dominions, too, will have very little incentive to help. Australasia will have a lot people thinking that it's past time to sever the ties withh London, as will Canada - especially Quebec.
The USA are probably going to be very unsympathetic and possibly interested in some opportunistic landgrab - not going to war with Britain of course, but waiting for the right moment to get some more Caribbean island if opportunity presents.
Venezuela might try a stab at Guayana Essequiba, although indeed war with Britain does not really sound a very safe proposition.
I eagerly wait for more.
The War of Indian Independence is probably going to be relatively short - there's no way a turbulent, cash-strapped Britain can hold onto India through brute force, and they are not really considering partnership with Indian upper classes (what has held together the Raj anyway so far, like IOTL).
By the ring of it, there's no sector of Indian society to which the Imperials can appeal - they despise them all and have pissed off the most of them.
Divisions among the Indians may delay the inevitable - but the British are not in a good position to exploit them, and as soon as their position in India appears less tenable, other flashpoints would probably turn hot - Ireland being the likeliest to do so, but Jamaica and East Africa also.
The Dominions, too, will have very little incentive to help. Australasia will have a lot people thinking that it's past time to sever the ties withh London, as will Canada - especially Quebec.
The USA are probably going to be very unsympathetic and possibly interested in some opportunistic landgrab - not going to war with Britain of course, but waiting for the right moment to get some more Caribbean island if opportunity presents.
Venezuela might try a stab at Guayana Essequiba, although indeed war with Britain does not really sound a very safe proposition.
I eagerly wait for more.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
I don't expect that the Indians will have much trouble pushing out the British from the subcontinent. There are only so many British soldiers stationed there, outnumbered and outgunned. I expect the Indians to be successful in driving them out in about a year, perhaps pushing it on two or three.
I am curious as to how things proceed in India once the British ARE gone. Might we see some of the princely states try to secede from the Republic of India, like the Nizam of Hyderabad in OTL? Will they succeed or will they be crushed easily by the Congress forces?
Good update though.
I am curious as to how things proceed in India once the British ARE gone. Might we see some of the princely states try to secede from the Republic of India, like the Nizam of Hyderabad in OTL? Will they succeed or will they be crushed easily by the Congress forces?
Good update though.
Part of me has a feeling that Britain may try and use its colonies in Africa as well as its dominions as sources of manpower for the coming struggle. If it does, it could turn to be one horrendously bloody affair, and I see both Britain as well as India being crippled by the conflict for some time to come.
I also wonder how the Indian War of Independence will affect the rest of the world. Will Britain's relations be strained if the war does indeed become a bloody one? Will other colonies be inspired by India's struggle?
I also wonder how the Indian War of Independence will affect the rest of the world. Will Britain's relations be strained if the war does indeed become a bloody one? Will other colonies be inspired by India's struggle?
Sulemain
Banned
Oh god, Alt Coperatist-Imperialist Britain does not sound fun at all.
BTW, don't expect the entirety of the military to be on the side of the Imperials, particularly the lower decks of the RN. They mutinied in OTL in the 30s over pay, after all.
I do hope some of the Dominions retain the monarchy, but I agree the age of British direct influence over them is over.
BTW, don't expect the entirety of the military to be on the side of the Imperials, particularly the lower decks of the RN. They mutinied in OTL in the 30s over pay, after all.
I do hope some of the Dominions retain the monarchy, but I agree the age of British direct influence over them is over.
Saying that such a course would backfire horribly is the mother of all understatements.
This is my assessment as well. Some princely states will probably survive in some sort of Post-Westphalian relationship with India, I suppose. Travancore and Baroda are the best candidates.
Britain is freaking doomed... The empire is falling fast... very fast... A domino effect is coming. The Tories will feel the effect of this for the entire 20th century. It seems that the Liberals and Labourites will be the dominant parties for a long time, pulling the country into a social democracy.
I think this attitude comes from how ridiculously bad the British position is from what we've seen, they have effectively alienated everyone with power on the subcontinent at a time when they are at their absolute weakest and more importantly, they've got no support among the native troops in India, and without them the government is effectively relying entirely on the European troops stationed in India. Of which theres just too few to fight the Indians. Even if there is division after the fact over what happens to India it's probably gonna be a fairly easy victory for the Indians all things considered.
And then there's the issue of viceregal autonomy; when a situation is desperate, I can see the Viceroy stepping in as an arbiter- several Princely States know that they might simply be subsumed into the Republic if it goes through. Congress won't especially see the Rajputs in a good light, for example, which would drive many of them into British hands. And the Congress battalions are not well organized, at least not yet.
It's a shame that the imperialists have majority, because this alone would probably have been enough to have a minority government lose a confidence vote and throw things to new elections (after the war proved to be a debacle I mean, not at the time of the declaration).
Honestly, I'm having a hard time seeing, presuming they don't suspend elections entirely, how the Imperial party would even win another election. Of course, there's a hell of a lot more they could muck up in the next three years...
Honestly, I'm having a hard time seeing, presuming they don't suspend elections entirely, how the Imperial party would even win another election. Of course, there's a hell of a lot more they could muck up in the next three years...
I think that kicking the British out of India is going to prove relatively easy, considering how badly outnumbered the British garrisons are. The postwar situation in India has the potential to turn rather nasty, though. Violent revolutions rarely end up with moderates in control, at least initially.
The reason I don't see the viceroy really coming into it is because the guy who they have now seems to be a complete stooge for the Imperials, he has nothing worth offering and in fact his management of the situation has arguably led it to being as bad as it's gotten.
Not necessarily. It depends where Jonathan takes it, and it is completely possible that he's just a stooge. At the same time, the possibility for creativity is there, and the crisis could change things.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
The princely states have everything to lose if they even decide to go against popular consent and not join the Congress. If they help out the Congress, there is always the possibility of them retaining some sort of role in the new post-colonial India, or at least fight alongside the Congress forces until the British are expelled and it is guaranteed that they won't be returning.