Gita Subrahmanyam: Most former colonies are not particularly vocal in blaming Empire - IQ2 debates

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Gita Subrahmanyam speaking in favour of the motion "Britain's former colonies should stop blaming the Empire for their ills" at Cadogan Hall in London on 17th November 2011.
Event info:
The British Empire has a mixed legacy. On the plus side we brought railways, the rule of law and the English language, the world's lingua franca, to far-flung places. But it's also true that in the aftermath of WWII our rapid retreat from Empire was a bit too hasty: colonial administrators with little understanding of local history or culture created new countries by drawing lines on the map, ignoring the affiliations of religion, tribe or language.
So it's hardly surprising that our former colonies blame us for the subsequent wars and tensions that continue to this day in places such as Kashmir and parts of Africa. But isn't it all too easy for corrupt and unpopular leaders to use the Empire as a scapegoat for their failings? 60 years on, isn't it time for our former colonies to take responsibility for themselves? Who's right? Who's wrong? Come to the debate and decide for yourself.

[@ShakuShingan]

A list of "crimes" in the empire would be poor debating style and show lack of focus. What Gita did mention was relevant to the question: "DO the former colonies blame Britain?" To which the answer is no, there are bigger fish to fry today. To discuss crimes in the empire would be to discuss something completely irrelevant to the conjecture of whether in fact blame is being given. She hardly argued that it was democratic, if you listened you will hear that she argued quite the opposite.

[@ShakuShingan]

It's not at all racist. It does not say anything about the race of the aboriginals, negativities of their race, or positivities of other races. It is simply a fact. Aboriginals in North America did not have an immunity to European diseases, they did not have the same enzymes in their digestive system for breaking down European draughts and victuals. There is no other alternative, they would have encountered Europeans in the infinitudes of time if not in their adventurous and migratory moods.

[@theduke6174]

Ok, what about South Africans and the Australian Aboriginals, most were massacred, not from diseases, but from British hands.

[@vegnes79]

Stupid racist bastard statement

[@paulochikoti-bandua3089]

Her arguments here lack empathy and are way too simplistic in addressing whether or not the British Empire should be blamed by former colonies. It's true the not all the current issues faced by former colonies are the fault of the British, as self-seeking/corrupt leadership must take personal responsibility for the mal-treatment of their own people post-colonialism. However, was there any meddling by the British post-colonialism? If so then the Empire is also culpable on some level. She attempts to limit the effects of colonialism to solely an economic view, which in and of itself isn't true to reality. Is human life as experienced by formerly colonized people only characterized by economic wellbeing? What about Psychological, social, spiritual etc effects? She seemed to want to absolve the Empire of responsibility and limit any responsibility to only the economic if at all. This is lazy, and not helpful in working through to first understand, empathize, and find mutually beneficial solutions to the ills of the past.

[@theduke6174]

Ummm South African natives are still alive sis

[@vKaran12]

What a garbage argument this was.

[@ndani7733]

Who r u to say india should blame Britain or not?? It is an indian matter.