Why Was Britain Able To Create a Worldwide Empire

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Why was Britain able to create a worldwide empire by the mid-nineteenth century? The sources are in clear agreement that economics played a huge part in the creation of a worldwide empire by the mid-nineteenth century, as shown by source one “no one any more seriously doubts that capitalist pressures (economics) were the primary reasons for Britain’s Imperial expansion in the nineteenth century” and by Source two “Britain dominated the global economy.” Source three also supports the importance of economics, “Britain owned around 1/3 of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage.” Source three suggests, however, that the reason Britain was able to create a worldwide empire by the mid-nineteenth century was “thanks to the unrivalled productivity of her shipyards” and the power of the British Military, “Imperial competitors and nations that resisted British influence faced annihilation.” Source four also supports this reason with a quote from the Foreign Secretary and later Prime Minister Palmerstone, “Competitors and “half-civilised governments” needed to “not only see the stick, but feel it on their shoulders before they yield.”” Economics was a major factor as to why Britain was able to create a worldwide empire. Source one supports this “capitalist pressures (economics) were the primary reason for Britain’s imperial expansion in the nineteenth century.” Source two highlights the importance of economics in the creation of a worldwide empire “by controlling the crucial “avenues of empire” Britain dominated the global economy.” By controlling the avenues of empire “the British “could access all markets, and shut out other nations.” Source three also suggests that the reason Britain was so powerful economically was down to “the industrial revolution” and it was this that managed to “transform the world economy and the international balance of power” in Britain’s
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