Guest TheBlueCat Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pz9d6 Just watched this and thought it was really good. I have no idea how it got past the BBC thought police but I bet it would have most of them spitting tacks if they'd noticed. A few points it out across: State control (France) bad, free enterprise good (Britain). Slaves were largely purchased from African rulers rather than captured directly. The a Empire was a force for good in many ways. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEATH Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I think there is something in the shit weather thing. People had to plan for winters plus there was f*all else to do when stuck inside all the time but invent and create things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbowed Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I've always thought we owe a lot to Cromwell & the Reformation too. With the break from Rome, people could think more freely. Obviously free thinking is something the current establishment hate.. which is why everything is going wrong.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DabHand Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 11 minutes ago, Unbowed said: I've always thought we owe a lot to Cromwell & the Reformation too. With the break from Rome, people could think more freely. Obviously free thinking is something the current establishment hate.. which is why everything is going wrong.. Yes, old warty face got a hat tip for shifting control over spending to parliament and generally decentralizing power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePiltdownMan Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Could it be BBC (&others) have started to realise they've been pushing their luck this last couple of decades? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 17 minutes ago, ThePiltdownMan said: Could it be BBC (&others) have started to realise they've been pushing their luck this last couple of decades? More likely they consciously make a few programmes likely to be watched by about three people's so they can claim balance without actually providing it in any meaningful way. im watching Jonathan Meades on Fascism now which also doesn't fit the leftie world view but, similarly, won't be seen by more than a handful of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cavey Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 On an island made of coal with fecund soil and protected on all sides by seas full of fish. What could go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One-percent Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 1 minute ago, Captain Cavey said: On an island made of coal with fecund soil and protected on all sides by seas full of fish. What could go wrong? Politicians? At a guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishinWales Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Being an island nation. So we were well trained in sea-faring which led to us being able to explore the rest of the world. Having only a limited amount of land as well must have encouraged us to venture out and look for resources elsewhere. Those stolen resources made us rich which funded the technological developments for factories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One-percent Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Just now, EnglishinWales said: I'm sure being an island nation and being well trained in sea faring Was talking to a retired sea captain a couple of weeks ago who said that the British flag is now a flag of convenience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 2 minutes ago, One-percent said: Politicians? At a guess And the Vagrancy Act of 1824... XYY The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage - Danish proverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One-percent Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 2 minutes ago, The XYY Man said: And the Vagrancy Act of 1824... XYY The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage - Danish proverb I always knew they were tramps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 26 minutes ago, TheBlueCat said: More likely they consciously make a few programmes likely to be watched by about three people's so they can claim balance without actually providing it in any meaningful way. im watching Jonathan Meades on Fascism now which also doesn't fit the leftie world view but, similarly, won't be seen by more than a handful of people. I love Jonathan Meades, hope that's on catch up . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 6 minutes ago, Rave said: I love Jonathan Meades, hope that's on catch up . Me too. I loved his programme on Nazi architecture from back in the 90s and this one on Fascist architecture didn't disappoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkins Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 11 hours ago, EnglishinWales said: Being an island nation. So we were well trained in sea-faring which led to us being able to explore the rest of the world. Having only a limited amount of land as well must have encouraged us to venture out and look for resources elsewhere. Those stolen resources made us rich which funded the technological developments for factories. The British weren't the great seafaring explorers, that was more the Portuguese and Spanish. By the time Britain had its act together there wasn't much left to discover (Eastern Australia, the Canadian Arctic, a few islands in the South Pacific, Antarctica). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbonic Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 11 hours ago, TheBlueCat said: More likely they consciously make a few programmes likely to be watched by about three people's so they can claim balance without actually providing it in any meaningful way. im watching Jonathan Meades on Fascism now which also doesn't fit the leftie world view but, similarly, won't be seen by more than a handful of people. Me n the wife were annoyed by the silly graphics and sound effects in Jonathan Meades on Fascism, otherwise it was a good program. Re the OP - great show and I'm glad they covered the vital contribution that coal mining made to the UKs ability to manufacture stuff. There's way too much emphasis given to generals and kings in history lessons, but all nations had those. It was the UK that had MWs more available energy in the 18th & 19th centuries than enabled the trading empire to be built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepLurker Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 11 hours ago, EnglishinWales said: Being an island nation. So we were well trained in sea-faring which led to us being able to explore the rest of the world. Having only a limited amount of land as well must have encouraged us to venture out and look for resources elsewhere. Those stolen resources made us rich which funded the technological developments for factories. It might have helped, but it was from sufficient in itself - Britain's stolen loot was minute compared to Spain and Portugal, yet those 2 nations never had an Industrial Revolution. Spain in particular seemed to piss away all its riches in magnificent churches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hail the Tripod Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Well , you would have to presuppose there must be a confluence of factors. Rule of law, reasonable degree of personal freedom, lack of theocratic control, a good supply of metal and abundant fuel, established and reliable trade infrastructure. It does seem like the socio-political backdrop was the missing piece of the puzzle as it all started to kick off less than one generation after the "glorious revolution", while the religious aspects, natural resources, and trade infrastructure were already in place long before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Any body read Pavane, about an England after the Spanish Armada succeded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenpig Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 The rest of Europe got bogged down fighting each other for power and territory. It was being separate from that, that forced us to seek our riches elsewhere. Even then, much of the expansion of colonisation seems to have been accodental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 20 hours ago, One-percent said: Was talking to a retired sea captain a couple of weeks ago who said that the British flag is now a flag of convenience What? Like bumpaper? You should tell Captain le Frog, to set sail for Hartlepool, immediately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sPinwheel Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 It was going to happen somewhere. Nothing special about here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme2 Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Missed the programme but can recommend a weekend at Coalbrookdale/Ironbridge if history of the industrial revolution floats your boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One-percent Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 1 minute ago, onlyme2 said: Missed the programme but can recommend a weekend at Coalbrookdale/Ironbridge if history of the industrial revolution floats your boat. We did that years ago with the kids, very good and well done. I especially remember the chemist shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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