Absolutely, there are dribbling rants from all corners.
Barbados gains independence.
- Thread starter Energize
- Start date
Absolutely, there are dribbling rants from all corners.
Soldato
The timeless classic variation of, "slaves benefitted from being taught English".
Not everyone on the forum is the typical right wing pro monarchist. She has been a odious blight on preserving awful institutions like the Church of England against the interests of the British people. And failing to do the most basic to safeguard the rights of minorities by giving royal assent to racist and homophobic laws, it's hard to think of a single individual who has caused to much harm to the liberty of the common person.
Clearly ignorant of history like where she just didn't bother to turn up for over a week deciding instead that her lunch engagements were more important.
You mean other than being official head of the UK armed forces and failing to condemn the invasion, in effect all but giving it her blessing?
Yeah, despite mocking her as an attention seeking **** on this very forum, that must be my where my sympathies lie.
Guess you've never heard the phrase "two things can be true".
Precisely, the country was already independent and has just decided to become a republic getting rid of their monarchy, basically more of a case of sticking two fingers up to the royals than deciding to impose a communist dictatorship...
Basically, the forum has always been very right wing and conservative on the whole, regular anti immigration threads, pro capital punishment, pro protectionism, pro monarchy, deeply racist founder etc.
You have an appalling attitude and a huge chip on your shoulder. Bit sad really.
Soldato
I was thinking more along the lines of the example they've had of running a successful colony / economy with the import of a well renowned democracy. The worldly prestige of being part of the British empire surely opened doors for them. Furthermore I think it's a credit to both parties that the hand over was a dignified affair where decent relations can still continue.
Did they not also stop being slaves a very long time ago?
Soldato
@Energize you had to expect the wrath of OCUK to come crashing down on you calling out our outdated and obsolete institution that is a monarchy. I don't necessarily agree with all your points but on getting rid of the monarchy we are in complete agreement.
Soldato
And the Guardian readers club is complete.
Oh yeah, I was expecting completely sycophantic defence of QE2 and OCUK didn't disappoint.
"Prestige of being part of the British Empire". Wasn't this a Prageru propaganda video narrated by a white supremacist a while back?
Oh yeah here it is.
His book btw.
https://ibb.co/ccGjQ2L
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Soldato
Oh yeah, I was expecting completely sycophantic defence of QE2 and OCUK didn't disappoint.
"Prestige of being part of the British Empire". Easn't this a Prageru propaganda video narrated by a white supremacist a while back?
Oh yeah here it is.
Except that propaganda came long after the existence of the empire in the sense that it was more far reaching than it currently is.
Soldato
And the Guardian readers club is complete.
If wanting to get rid of the antiquated monarchy in the 21st century makes me a guardian reader then I'll wear that badge with pride. The alternative being a Daily Mail reader makes it an even better badge to wear.
Soldato
Does it not add a prestige which is still revered around the world though, help to hold our global influence, an established set of societal standards, global trade and ambassadorship? Not to mention the culture that we trade on from a tourism perspective.
Look, I can agree that there were some positives to be found in the British Empire, though I have to reach to find them.
But on balance it has to have been one of the most globally destructive empires to have blighted this Earth with it causing massive damage to most countries it touched, and a driving force behind this empire and it's worst excesses was always the monarchy in one variation or another.
When it comes to societal standards we actually saw some countries regress under the Empire where longstanding tolerance for cultural and social practices saw them give way to homophobia and massive discrimination.
Does it?
I'm neither for nor against the monarchy, but how much of that trade benefits the public purse and how much simply wins a bit more business for some private company and it's CEO/board?
We surely do spend a lot on the palaces and all that jazz, but otherwise they'd either end up in the hands of some billionaire or the National Trust or something. Probably the former, the NT isn't made of money.
As for prestige, how would you quantify that? I know some US and Japanese tourists that seem to be quite smitten by the monarchy, but who exactly does an archaic institution increase our prestige? Do the elaborate (and frankly ridiculous) dress-up games they sometimes play in Parliament enhance our prestige? Or is it just another throwback to a bygone age, tradition for its own sake?
Global influence? Nah, I can't see it. I don't think China et al give two craps whether we're a monarchy or not. And neither Andrew nor Harry/Meghan have done much to enhance our prestige or influence, have they
I'm sure there must be some hard data to support or refute the claim that the monarchy benefits us directly (and not the "trickle down" benefit that's proved to be a false narrative).
https://www.livemint.com/opinion/co...dds-a-pearl-to-its-string-11622393656645.html
Chinese loans leave developing countries with $385 billion in hidden debts, study says
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/30/stu...untries-with-385-billion-in-hidden-debts.html
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Mar 2010
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The tourism argument for the monarchy is such gibberish. Its not like getting rid of the monarchy has done France any harm with tourism. The palaces will still be here, and with the monarchy gone tourists would get better access.Does it?
I'm neither for nor against the monarchy, but how much of that trade benefits the public purse and how much simply wins a bit more business for some private company and it's CEO/board?
We surely do spend a lot on the palaces and all that jazz, but otherwise they'd either end up in the hands of some billionaire or the National Trust or something. Probably the former, the NT isn't made of money.
As for prestige, how would you quantify that? I know some US and Japanese tourists that seem to be quite smitten by the monarchy, but who exactly does an archaic institution increase our prestige? Do the elaborate (and frankly ridiculous) dress-up games they sometimes play in Parliament enhance our prestige? Or is it just another throwback to a bygone age, tradition for its own sake?
Global influence? Nah, I can't see it. I don't think China et al give two craps whether we're a monarchy or not. And neither Andrew nor Harry/Meghan have done much to enhance our prestige or influence, have they
I'm sure there must be some hard data to support or refute the claim that the monarchy benefits us directly (and not the "trickle down" benefit that's proved to be a false narrative).
Let's not forget that Britain also ended the slave trade and enforced that ban on other countries, we didn't have to do that, we did it because we recognised how inhumane and wrong it was before the majority of the world did
At least we are clear that this thread was started with no concern whatsoever for Barbados.
Becoming a republic a few days ago while still staying in the commonwealth and inviting the monarchs son for the ceremony might be called independence by people being flexible with the facts. You just need to ignore that Barbados has been independent for 55 years already.
Becoming a republic a few days ago while still staying in the commonwealth and inviting the monarchs son for the ceremony might be called independence by people being flexible with the facts. You just need to ignore that Barbados has been independent for 55 years already.
Soldato
Does it?
I'm neither for nor against the monarchy, but how much of that trade benefits the public purse and how much simply wins a bit more business for some private company and it's CEO/board?
We surely do spend a lot on the palaces and all that jazz, but otherwise they'd either end up in the hands of some billionaire or the National Trust or something. Probably the former, the NT isn't made of money.
As for prestige, how would you quantify that? I know some US and Japanese tourists that seem to be quite smitten by the monarchy, but who exactly does an archaic institution increase our prestige? Do the elaborate (and frankly ridiculous) dress-up games they sometimes play in Parliament enhance our prestige? Or is it just another throwback to a bygone age, tradition for its own sake?
Global influence? Nah, I can't see it. I don't think China et al give two craps whether we're a monarchy or not. And neither Andrew nor Harry/Meghan have done much to enhance our prestige or influence, have they
I'm sure there must be some hard data to support or refute the claim that the monarchy benefits us directly (and not the "trickle down" benefit that's proved to be a false narrative).
If it's helping to win business though then it does trickle down because those businesses wouldn't employee the number that they do without the increased purpose of full order books. There's still a prestige of Britain being Britain in my opinion, we still punch above our weight for the size that we are due to our history of which UK citizens and overseas territories still enjoy the spoils of. Just because it can't all be totted up to some cost code or profit centre doesn't mean it doesn't achieve stuff that you can't put a price on. I'd much rather we had the monarchy than become more like an American Republic where everything is about the bottom line. You can know the cost of everything but the value of nothing in such a scenario.
As for China, there's a lot more countries in the world than just China.
Soldato
As a UK citizen you enjoy the richness that the nation has become for whatever reasons and part of those include stamping our say on the world and having that voice prevents others from walking over us.