Do you think Britain should compensate the nations it colonised?
597221
Strangely enough in New Zealand the crown has been made to pay compensation for breach of treaty with the intengenous people. Despite  the treaty not being recognised at international law. There have been a number of other treaties established during the colonising period, which if New Zelanad is precedent should burden the common wealth. Personally I am in the view that these indiginous peoples did not have the state sovereignty and capacity to enter into international relations that has been a corner stone in international law. I think that if Britain was to compensate pruely for war losses, then arguably America would owe Vietnam for breach of state sovereignty, Germany would owe Russia for breach of non agression pact (contract), and Greece would owe Iran for breach of Kings peace. I think there would be a indeterminate burden of liability and any orders to make effect such a action would be unjust on the world as it exists today
253134
I wonder what that says about us Brits?  While it still existed, I would throw in my ha'penneth (half pence) but still offer a penny for your thoughts. Perhaps we're too self-effacing, that we think our opinion is worth half as much as someone else's!
705770
I know what you mean.The countryside is your best bet our country of britain aint britain nomore its plays host to every scumbag from the east.Its not wrong to be recist anymore lets face it this country is finished and theres nothing we can do about it.
1153101
Hah!  I think it's cool.  At least that's my first thought.\n\nThen when I think more about it, I begin to realize that it may have negative implications for the islands.  Of course, with territory status, the people would have freedom of movement to Canada, and improved job prospects, so it ought to help them.  However, it would hurt the current economy, since T&C would then be subject to Canada's onerous regulations, which would be especially hurtful to their financial industry, which operates largely based upon its less-regulated environment.  So, I can see some problems coming from it.  But on the whole, I think it would do a lot to provide opportunity for both...for Canadians to have some sunlight, and for residents of Turks and Caicos to have ready access to better job opportunities.
591849
not every country. some nations can't even afford to feed their own people. They should concentrate on earthly needs first.\n\nBut the ones that can afford it, sure.
818975
I wish the British people would pay for better education. "Surly", is an interesting way to perceive this argument, but I don't think it's the right way, if you want a better country, you need to be taxed. The question is, who to tax? Big Business? The government need them in this country to provide employment. I think it shows that the British still have an aptitude to keep complaining.
884604
It's a nice idea, but practically speaking, it will take a lot more than bringing our men and women home to where they belong to make a difference to the UK. \n\nI really don't think that the war in the Middle East is to blame for our troubles at home, the UK has been on a downward spiral for some time now and from what I see, this is caused by a total breakdown in family values.  \n\nBut with regards to the troops, you are right, they get little thanks or recognition and they are not paid nearly enough!  But whether they agree with decisions being made at higher levels, they are here to protect and serve their countries and I for one am grateful to the ones who choose to do this for people like me and the all of the ungrateful shites here.
968724
Cool. Seeing as the UK is an elective autocracy, maybe we should both have spread a bit of democracy at home before liberating the rest of the world?
214319
I would say no. Countries that are more developed like ours are going to suffer, intially. While poorer, more underdeveloped countries will reap more benefits, at least in the earlier stages.
330786
zafrumi666 I would be most happy to return to the tropical paradise from which I originate if your western countries returned the wealth they stole from it and also stopped exploiting non-western countries for cheap primary resources (crops, minerals, oil, etc).\n\nBlond dyslexic I fully agree with you. Whether or not you believe in Karma most people would agree that at some time what you put around finally comes around. As those white oppressive colonialist farmers sowed, so they are now reaping!
185162
A lot of people already said this, but I'm going to chime in with my two cents too.  \n\nNo.  People who didn't do anything wrong should not be forced to pay reparations to people who never had anything wrong done to them.  \n\nFurther, if it was 1870, and former slaves and slaveholders existed then MAYBE you could make a case for having the slaveholders make reparations for the slaves (probably not because what they were doing was, while morally wrong, perfectly legal).  But as it stands right now, all former slaves are dead.  All former slaveholders are dead.  It's moot.
499935
A better question would be, "Does it matter?" \nGreat(?) Britain owes it's existance to the United States! During WWll America poured tons of money, goods and man power into keeping Britain free from Germany and as yet the people of Britain haven't even paid the interest on the loans that were given to them!\nIn fact if it wasn't for America, Great(?) Britain wouldn't even exist!\nIf England want's to go it alone against the rest of the world then I say, "Lot's of luck!"
829019
A better idea is to send the immigrants back to where they came from. They don't have any business in the UK. After all, the English and the Scots are the indigenous people there.
276497
cgalloway1973 is right, I'm British, and believe that we are just as capable as the Americans. BTW, to the guy who mentioned that we were (supposedly) kicked out of every country we conquered, you're wrong! It's true that we were kicked out of a few of the Nations, but we decided to give most of them back by free will alone! This inter-nation rivalry has to stop, WE'RE ON THE SAME BL**DY SIDE!!! That saying, "all the gear, but no Idea" is just a bit of friendly banter, but there are a few people here who take it too far.
1176639
This question was posted awhile back and I said No but now after such bitter answers from the two above,I will say yes!\nAfrican-Americans do deserved reparations regardless of the incompetence of others who say present or future inheritors and generations don't deserved. Racism still exist today. Blacks may not be in invisible shackles or chains of bondage but we are still bounded by whites in economically,classicism,and religion etc... I just pray that we don't splurge the money on materialistic things and be laughed at for our wastefulness. You must realized that the money will go back to the ones who ancestors that have enslaved our past generations. As for myself, if I was to receive this money, I would buy a piece of land nd build a house so that my son will have a place for him if something was to happen to me.
503055
I agree with you. I think many of them come here for the exact reasons you stated. I know there are war torn countries and whatever but Britain is only a small island and there are plenty of safe countries in between us and their own country. They come here because they are practically guaranteed a good life and a job, if they feel like working, though they don't have to. I get about £300 a month in tax credits to help me stay at home with my own kids. There are people who have a problem with that when these illegals are coming in and being given brand new houses, some built for them, then they were getting those food voucher thingys but that's not good enough is it, they want the cash so they can go and buy themselves a corner shop and rip us off some more. I am all for the BNP on this one. It's not racist. It's fair. It doesn't happen in other countries. If I went to another country, they wouldn't just hand out free stuff just because I was foreign so why do people think it's racist if you don't want to do that?
726630
Um, Rod T, you do realise that you're talking about things that happened many generations ago?! How can you suggest that people nowadays deserve to pay for what their ancestors did way back then? That's ridiculous. \n\nAre you American? If so, with that logic, you would deserve to have some people come and "discover" your country, steal your food and take over your land completely, banishing you to little reservations in the desert.