The Legacy of Violence of the British Empire

Queen Elizabeth II in Nigeria

The recent death of the late British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has caused many to reflect on the legacy of violence of the British Empire.  The Empire, and the violence associated with it,  continued into the reign of Elizabeth II.  Millions of people in Africa, India and many other places were on the receiving end of this violence, and had their homes destroyed and their lives disrupted.  Many lost their lands and their livestock, as the British settlers took them by force.  And many lost their lives.  

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One important question which arises at this time is, how much did the late monarch actually know about what went on?  Churchill is quoted as saying, in the early 20th century, that it was a good thing the House of Commons don't know what they were doing [in Kenya].  "If they did, our East Africa programme would be under a cloud".   

Kenyans had written to Parliament many times, but received no response.  For more about this, see the documentary, Kenya, White Man's Country.   

Here are two more documentaries on this subject:  

​Kenyan History: The European Invasion! (1890 - 1930) [African History]

​Kenyan History (Part 3): The Empire Strikes Back [1952 - 1960]

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WARNING:   All of these documentaries contain disturbing images and information.  

 

On at least one occasion, it is known that Her Majesty was lied to about this situation. 

I have blogged about the role of the Empire in Kenya, where thousands of Kenya were killed during the "Emergency".  

For more about this, see:  The First Grader.  

Go here for an article on the Empire and how it is still impacting on African people today.  

Go here for more blogs about African history.  

Go here for more blogs about Black history.