summary ofEmpirelandBook by Sathnam Sanghera

first KEY POINT

Imperialism is part of Great Britain’s DNA

Сonsidering its colonial past, Britain’s connection with the British Empire is undeniable. Apart from the numerous statues in honor of imperialists, schools named after them, and apologies for past deeds, there are more profound ways in which the British Empire has affected the world. To illustrate, the Earl of Meath campaigned to establish Empire Day to celebrate the achievements of British imperialism. He succeeded in 1916 when the British government made Empire Day official. Though it was renamed British Commonwealth Day in 1958, Empire Day achieved its aim of promoting colonialism. The modern world needs a reimagined Empire Day to focus on colonialism's impact on Britain.Its influence shows up in daily life even today. In the Hobson-Jobson Dictionary, we find that “Dam” was formerly one-fortieth of a rupee that was considered worthless. Britons in India were known to say they “don’t give a dumri,” which became “I don’t give a damn!”. In economics, Marcus Samuel, an importer of seashells from the Far East, established Shell, which later morphed into the oil company. Wembley Stadium was formerly known as the Empire Stadium and was built for the 1924 Empire Exhibition.

London, Glasgow, and almost every major city in Britain have imperial history etched into their DNA.The concept of free school meals originated from the empire. Some historians argue that social reforms that produced the current welfare state system stemmed mainly from a political quest to maintain imperialism and prevent unrest. The culinary world is not left out because most mainstream dishes originated from the UK’s colonial past. When you think the Royal Family is as British as you get, you should remember that not only does the family have foreign roots, but Queen Victoria spoke German and was dubbed “Empress of India.”