Odd question I know. However, over the years I've seen it suggested that, without Parliament running the government, the British Empire as we know it would have never formed, with very few and weak colonies. I'm generalizing here but is that REALLY reasonable? Would a semi-absolute England/Britain really mean no Empire, or at the very least a much weaker empire? I ask because it seems, to me at least, to be an idea seen threw Whig-tented glasses. Look at other nations that had a form of Parliament: France, Spain (Castile and Aragon) and Portugal. All had a version of Parliament. All of their parliaments gradually lost their powers and eventually stopped be called all together, or were only called to rubber stamp Royal decrees. All had large Empires. So is there a real connection between Britannia ruling the waves and Parliament ruling Britannia, or is it more Whig propaganda?