The British Empire, also known as the "empire that never sets" by the world, has the widest field and the greatest influence in the world among the modern empires (Ottoman Empire, Tsar Empire, German Empire, Napoleon Empire and Qing Empire). It was formed at the end of 19th century, and on June 22nd, 1897, when the 6th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne was celebrated, the empire reached its peak, and then gradually declined.
A country with a small territory and a small population has established such an influential empire, which is the result of many factors, and the reasons need to be explained from many directions. (Incomplete) It can be roughly summarized as follows:
Politically, Britain first carried out bourgeois revolution, established bourgeois democratic politics, cleared the way for developing capitalism, and the political situation was relatively stable and continuous.
Geographical location: Britain is located on the Atlantic coast, with many seaports and convenient shipping. Since the new shipping route opened up and the trade center moved from the Mediterranean coast to the Atlantic coast, its overseas trade has a unique advantage. Moreover, it defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 and seized the hegemony of maritime transport trade, which was more conducive to its overseas trade.
economy: the rapid development of handicraft industry and the implementation of enclosure movement provide manpower and resources for the development of domestic handicraft industry; Took the lead in the industrial revolution and created great productivity; Carrying out mercantilist economic policies provides impetus for economic development; Colonies all over the world plundered a lot of wealth and provided huge overseas markets; The slave trade accumulated blood type capital.
science and technology culture: encourage technological innovation and attach importance to patent protection.
military: the military force is powerful (especially the navy), which uses artillery to open the way for trade and launch aggression against various countries.
However, just after World War I, this glorious empire began to decline, and its decline was also the result of a combination of various reasons.
Economically, when Germany and the United States innovated and developed in the industrial revolution, Britain failed to transform its technical equipment in time and gradually lost its leading position in the industrial field;
ideologically, because Britain retains strong feudal factors, such as the royal family system and the aristocratic class, British society as a whole is conservative, and it also sticks to the rules in technological innovation and management.
War: The two world wars weakened Britain greatly.
Colony: On the one hand, the huge colonial empire needs to be protected by sufficient military forces, and the military expenditure is too large, which has an impact on economic development; On the other hand, World War I and World War II promoted the national liberation movement of the colonies, and many colonies became independent. Although they no longer needed military maintenance, they lost their overseas raw materials producing areas and markets.