Partition. Britain's Guilt.

[bainbrig]

Just re-watching the BBC series on partition, shown first a few months back, and again struck by how much misery we (the British) caused by our insane partitioning of India.

I'm glad that we're no longer the world's leading bully, although hanging on the USA's coat-tails hardly does any credit.

Why are most Indian and Pakistani people so nice to us, given what we've done to them and their country?

BB

[bainbrig]

naomi’s normal level of intellectual debate, then.

[ToraToraTora]

I seem to have stumbled across an anti British love in, who'd have thought it!

[vetuste_ennemi]

By all means study history: we can learn from it, avoid some of its mistakes, understand to some extent the present. But critical thinking requires more than just looking at the worst (or best, for that matter) aspects of our past.

So let's try to see things as far as we can as a whole. Let's look at this "bully" nation and those places which have been largely settled by it in the past. And look at them as they are today. So I'm talking the Anglophone world - the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and new Zealand.

Proposition: by most objective measures - I mean things like personal freedom, property rights, religious tolerance, health, prosperity - these are some of the best countries in the world to live.

Do you disagree with that, Bainbrig?

And if you don't can you explain why so many people who've been bullied by us in the past want to come and live in these countries?

That includes a lot of Indians and Pakistanis by the way.

[david small]

The sins of the fathers etc. I’m proud that such a small nation like ours has had such monumental influence upon world history and development.

[ToraToraTora]

nice try guys but I fear you are urinating into a gale with this one!

[bainbrig]

I know when I’m beaten back by the phalanx of right-wing loonies on this site.

Keep bashing the rocks together, guys. You might even evolve.

[Togo]

Perhaps India would be willing to allow millions of muslims "back". Perhaps Pakistan would be eager to allow millions of Hindis "back".
Just think of the peace and harmony it would encourage. In the op anyway.

[gness]

Indeed they did, Dave.....but we're a nice lot and though we'll never forget or really forgive....we're okay with you now.....
And I still have the mental picture of my granny who, when being spouted at and abused by an English landlord's minion, shoved, with some force, her umbrella into his mouth..... :-)

Don't be shy about saying the good stuff....x

[New Judge]

Not very pleasant when people have responded to your question. Not agreeing with your viewpoint may (or may not) suggest they are right wing (whatever definition you ascribe to that term). But it doesn't make them "loonies" any more than your view being contrary to theirs does. And to think, you criticised naomi's level of intellect earlier!

I may have to be a little circumspect before joining in threads involving your good self in future.

[bainbrig]

Fair enough .’judge’, your perogative.

For my part, I wouldn’t mind some intelligent debate on such topics, but I’m thoroughly cheesed-off by the apparently orchestrated slanging match to which it often descends.

[-Talbot-]

prerogative

[New Judge]

"...but I’m thoroughly cheesed-off by the apparently orchestrated slanging match to which it often descends."

A hazard of participating in a forum such as AB, I'm afraid. You don't have to pass a test to join in. The trick is to ignore the orchestrated slanging and crack on with the debate.

[Peter Pedant]

the usual bad tempered debate

""I thought it would be more beneficial if bainbrig did his own research and did not rely solely on a BBC version (which was probably much abridged"). //
no rewritten in a marxist tradition

No one has mentioned that Gandhi and Jinna realised that if they went on saying no- no - no --- then they would be given their own countries to govern
Partition according to this analysis can be seen to be inevitable

altho India had a huge unbombed industry ( Japan did not bomb India for political reasons ) - this did not expand or blossom or do anything for around 60y
this cannot be explained by post-imperial guilt
You can say it was the stifling effect of the Indian Civil Service - but then when Freedom dawned in August 1947.....

[naomi24]

bainbrig, //naomi’s normal level of intellectual debate, then.//

When I see evidence of intellectual debate from you on any topic I’ll respond appropriately. Until then my response here suffices.

[scooping]

Don't think we really had a choice about partition.

[anotheoldgit]

Even West and East Pakistan couldn't get on with each other hence Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1971, nothing to do with the British.

At least India obtained it's independence, something that Britain will never be able to do.