Piracy as a British stereotype

Anti-British propaganda from both world wars is very much about the piracy and what that supposedly proves about national character and the way we conduct our foreign policy. This, for example is fairly typical:

WeltpiratEngland-12.JPG
 
Well it seems that the challenge has been fulfilled by the Spanish...

Britain never establishing her naval dominance might be a big step; perhaps she gets dragged into multiple continental wars? So she instead remains a mass employer of privateers late into the 19th century.

Or maybe if we get a British Napoleon who uses the RN to plunder Euro-American states.

Thats an interesting notion. I have ideas in the past that revolve around basically mercenary navies tied to various British aristocrats plundering stuff and their leaders becoming nobles themselves.
 
How about having companies like the East India Compan allowed to sieze ships trading in their areas of operation throughout the 18th and early 19th century.
 
Britain would be having a lot more wars, in that case; remember, the War of 1812 was caused by pretty much this
 
There is a precident for this. The Spanish and Dutch did this at differnt times. Both were willing to torture, mutilate and execute the crews of foreign ships.
 
Top