<the English had a habit of taking over a country, and either killing, or enslaving, the local population. >
What happened back then was how things were generally done. But contrary to popular myth, the English were generally the harbingers of freedom rather than genocide. Which is not to say there wasn't plenty of outright military conquest, but it was less genocidal than plenty of other historic conquests.
Think of, for example, these and compare them with the treaty between Queen Victoria, the British Empire and the Maoris:
Americans clearing Indians out of the way.
Armenians being cleared out of the way by Turks.
Stalin dealing with Ukraine [and a lot more besides].
Adolf taking over Stalingrad [not to mention Jews].
Japan creating an East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere in Nanking.
Genghis Khan marauding across to Europe [and more].
Pol Pot introducing caring and sharing in Cambodia.
Mao's megadeath Cultural Revolution and Great Leap "Forward".
Maoris eating Maoris, selling shrunken heads, and slavery.
Spanish showing Aztecs and Incas the way of the world.
Aztec rulers showing the locals who was boss via open heart surgery.
Viking "democracy".
Roman "Empire Games" in the Colosseum.
USSR sorting out Hungary.
Serbs sorting out Srebenica.
Moslems sorting out women, apostates, adulterers, blasphemers and anyone else they take a dislike to.
and a lot more besides.
Mqurice |
