Quote Originally Posted by RabidGibbon
My personal opinon is that the British empire was the biggest smash & grab raid in history. Just look in any English museum.

If I remember correctly one of the biggest jewels in the crown jewels was plundered from the Punjab.

I doubt anyone who wasn't British would say the British Empire was a good thing. Theres better ways to "help build up a country" than marching in and killing anyone who tries to stop you.
I think that is a bit exagerated. The constuction of the Empire did not rsult in many large scale battles where thousands upon thousands were killed. Instead the political situation was exploited so that any prince/warlord/king who tried to shift the balance of power in his favour was taken and another candidate was put in his the fomer king's place. That was why even though Victoria was Empress of India there were still many maharajahs who were the albeit puppet rulers of their domain. The Empire was not made when the King decided "I want to rule an empire" and gathered his army to go off and conquer the world. Of course the first concern was not the welfare of the state The East India Company was conquering. Cash was the thing which drove it. Yet if a proper infrastructure, an excellent civil service and written helped in the governance of the country, then that was done. Of course it made mistakes. No empire doesn't. Yet the jewel you speak of was probably given by a maharajah grateful for the fact that his head was not cut off and his bodies thrown do the dogs, as he would expect most conquerors to behave. Instead he hung on to some of the privileges of being ruler, such as a palace and a title, without any of the responsabilities.