The decline of The British Empire

[betgo]

The big technological development that doomed to colonial empires was probably the submachine gun. These overseas empires were created at a time when the European powers had a huge advantage of weaponry and industry. If the natives have access to reasonable weapons, it is much harder to maintain control.

200 years ago, the same thing happened in the western hemisphere with the independence of the United States, Haiti, and most of Spanish America.

Also, the Soviet Union was aiding groups fighting colonial powers in the hope that it could gain influence and control once the colonial powers were out. Anticolonials also got help in some cases from the US, China, and other countries.

The colonial powers, such as Portugal, that tried to hang on to their empires were not very successful. Also, the eperiences of the Soviet Union is Afghanistan and the US in Iraq and elsewhere have not been good.

The British seemed to have decided in British fashion to give up their empire amicably without a lot of strife, and try to maintain some control throught the British Commonwealth. The Labour governments after WWII and in the 1960s were particularly unwilling to fight to maintain the empire. In general, it would have required harsh policies in the colonies and considerable expense and casualties to try to maintain control.