At its peak in 1922 the British Empire was the largest empire the world had ever seen, covering about a quarter of the world’s surface and ruling over 458 million people.
Queen Elizabeth II was the last link to a truly GREAT Britain.
On her 21st Birthday in an address to the Empire at the time from South Africa said:
“I declare before you that all my life whether it would be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service to the Imperial family, to which we all belong,”
The Empire while far from perfect while no doubt having atrocities that we have seen in every empire in history, had largely a well-intentioned decency if you look at the legacy that it has left to the world which is symbolic of that quote from Elizabeth II about being devoted to service and service to the Imperial family: it was shaped by a 21-year-old woman showing extraordinary humility and wisdom for a woman her age.
In an ideal world we would have no Empires, only sovereign nations but we are not in an ideal world and we never have had an ideal world.
Strong countries dominate weaker countries it is just the way it is.
Jesus said “my kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) because he knew the heart of man that is the will to dominate over the weak.
However, we have seen that through history and no Empire being larger than Britain’s, that no doubt Britain was a Great Empire. Sadly, it’s only a shadow of its former self, but it’s legacy of decency remains.
The British Empire did not just take they added.
They added
When the British withdrew from Africa and India, they left behind a just legal system, churches, the expansion of the protestant faith, roads, language, schools, order and an incredible railway system that is still in use throughout India and Africa.
We saw the Magna Carta which influenced the creation of the US Constitution which protects the rights of ordinary people, and has formed the basis of constitutions that have been signed all over the world, protecting the rights of its citizens against the Government.
It all started when an unpopular King wanted to make peace with a group of rebel barons who promised church rights, protection from illegal imprisonment and access to swift justice. Our own constitution was based on that similar document, you could argue that Australia has had generations of stable governments and a just society due to the legacy of the Magna Carta. It has given us free speech.
We saw the British Empire create Habeas Corpus that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment which has been used throughout the world.
Through William Wilberforce they helped end the transatlantic slave trade and the ritual murders in India and through Elizabeth II’s legacy through the Commonwealth of Nations, an end to Apartheid in South Africa.
It also produced some of the finest literature ever written and some of the finest manufactured goods ever made anywhere, there is no doubt it was a fine Empire run by fine people.
Through my experience in ministry, I can tell you that you would not have a hope of running an operation this size without a lot of fine people.
What have we seen since? Was Idi Amin in Uganda, Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa an improvement on the British Empire?
We saw the partition of India since the British Empire withdrew in 1947. Has that been a good thing?
While atrocities have no doubt occurred in the Empire, we can definitely conclude that at its heart it had a well-intentioned decency which Queen Elizabeth II as its head modelled.