tteed
We have no reason to be ashamed of our past. In nearly all cases we proved more liberal than others when in ascendancy.
Really???
We (the Noyal Navy) stopped the slave trade. We did not have to stop slavery because slavery was never legal in the UK.
We the UK (inclduing teh rotal navy - kings shilling / press ganging etc plus a lot more) promote slavery across the world you might want to look at this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_British_Isles
Occasionally other nations were ahead of us in liberalisation but not often (NZ was first with emancipation of women). But in nearly all the other things you mention we were ahead of the world.
We helped spread democracy and the rule of law.
Really we forced the UK’s version of democracy on many and destroyed many traditions during the history of teh UK because the UK though they were barbaric (North America, Australia, India to name a few) – who said the UK are right
We allowed (qualified) religious freedom early.
The UK forced Christianity (and Catholicism) on many, called local religions barbaric heathens and tortured them if they did not obey. The UK even tortured their own if they disagreed with the church etc etc words still used today by quite a few
We stopped dictatorships and absolute rulers in Europe many times.
The UK did really all by themselves – yes the UK declared war and invaded many countries for what? The UK have been dictators and absolute rulers themselves and still think they are elite take a look back at the Empire the crusades invasion of Iraq, Germany, France, Spain, Americas, Australia etc etc etc
It is precisely this history that make us see the deficiencies of the EU.
Really what ???those without sin cast the first stone and what have the UK done recently for europe or teh world and why are they leaving if they are so important to keeping europe safe etc. - hypocrisy here me thinks
Yes we can and should be proud of our past.
I see very little in the histoyr of the UK to be proud of internally or abroad - it is all self proclamation
Briando
Every nation on Earth has a dark past and a good past, our island nation of the UK stands high in lots of areas.
Still struggling to see UK standing high in any areas and certainly no better than any other nation you are thinking of. The dark past of the UK is far worse than many
freedom, invention and industrial development, emancipation, abolition of slavery, public health, votes for everyone, democratic parliament, law and order. The list goes on and on.
Freedom – really the UK were world leaders in the slavery trade and at invading countries – how long did it take to get votes for everyone women only got a vote in 1918 for women aged over 30!!!!!! Not until 1928 for women to get the vote at 21 the same as men. Public health also too them a long time 1946 for the NHS I could go on and on
Democratic parliament – House of lords democratic NO. It also took centuries to get equality for all