HOW BIG CAN AN EMPIRE GET?

Britain was the most expansive colonial power in the history of the world: In the days immediately before World War II, the British Empire included about 550 million people across six continents, which was nearly 25% of the global population at the time. While the rulers’ creed may have been “an empire can never be big enough,” a more apt motto might have been “an empire is never too big to fail.” According to British historian Piers Brendon, by the year 1900 it was clear the empire had become too expensive to maintain. Huge administrative costs were consuming all the revenues that colonial trade generated. Britain was also compelled to protect its shipping lanes and outposts, which provoked further financial strain. The situation only worsened after World War II: Britain had survived the war, but with its wealth, prestige, and authority significantly reduced. In 1947 Britain withdrew from India. By the 1960s it had become too costly for the empire to defend its other colonies, and one after another they became independent. By the time Britain joined the European Community in 1973, the nation was no longer an imperial power.

What can the British experience teach America? While the U.S. has never maintained colonies on the scale of Britain, Professor Jäger says: “America is suffering from the effects of its imperialism and the excessive debt that has resulted from it. Its national debt is approaching 30 trillion dollars. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have created huge deficits, and America’s influence in the world is shrinking. The economic repercussions from the Covid crisis could be the breaking point.”

COLONIAL POWER India, Australia, and large parts of North America and Africa: No other empire has ever covered as much of the world as the British Empire. But the expansion came at a high price, and ultimately it was one the empire could no longer afford.