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by djklfhdsbv 18 days ago
I love it, the English can be there to exploit India and enslave its people but we treat their work as art. If it was anyone else like the Ottomans, we would treat it as barbarianism.
4 comments

I think the ottomans typically catch much less flack than the english.

Only more recent stuff against greeks, armenians and kurds catches flack and those are around to amplify it.

Lmao, really? England has famously been judged for its industrial colonisation, even if it was still in an era where _everyone_ was colonising _everyone_.

Interesting how Genghis Khan got away with it, to most he's now just a "badass" historical figure, I don't think most people could tell of all the terrible things he was responsible for.

Genghis Khan had the "decency" of failing pretty badly at producing an institution outliving him, whereas the English royal family are keeping a shockingly big share of the loot to this day.
In what sense does Genghis Khan get away with it? He was a monster.
Yes, Genghis was a brutal conqueror so he was a monster (rightfully). But Alexander, who was also a brutal conqueror, killed millions and literally burnt down persian capital is “the great”. See how subtle propaganda works? You dont even realize how it gets to you.
The winner writes the history.

E.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Legend

Oh boy, you haven’t read enough about the British rule in India.
Please educate
This is a pretty good read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/174501.India

This is a bit lighter and not specifically about India, enlightening nonetheless: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/166434.Empire

Basically, the history of British administration of India can not be summed up by the massacre of Amritsar or the sepoy wars

And if you want a perspective other than imperial apologists and colonial nostalgics, read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32618967-an-era-of-darkn... and https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42972023-the-anarchy
which of the two is John Keay?
Inglorious empire is another good one by Tharoor. Provides letters and statements from British officials and officers to show the intent and exploits.