Comparing the English and Spanish Empires

[Vrylakas]

Knight-Dragon wrote: I think you mean to say Spain never have large numbers of Spanish Protestants to deal with. Otherwise, the sentence doesn't make much sense in the context. And I thought Spain was and still is faithfully Catholic.

D'oh! Yes, I meant to write "Protestant". Thanks Knight-Dragon. I usually write these things while I'm on my lunch at work, so sometimes I'm not as careful as I should be.

 

[Julien]

Originally posted by Arius Mephisto


Another point that can be brought up is the loss of colonies... after losing their colonies... look where Spain and England have ended up today... by keeping economic ties strong, England enjoys a profitable relationship with it's former colonies... whereas Spain... suffered from massive political instability and never really recovered from the inflationary trends of their colonial days.

Originally posted by knowltok

Keep in mind that Spain has been seperated from its Imperial heyday a lot longer than the UK has. It has been less than 100 years since the British empire was the strongest in the world. More than 300 for the Spanish.

Originally posted by Arius Mephisto

That's true... but 100 years after it was seperated... Spain was in about the same state of non-relations as it is now....

I think that Spain has been in trouble economically already when the colonisation was flourishing in the 16th century. The country almost went bankrupt several times. After that, the 18th and 19th century were gloomy. The Spanish-American war plunged the country in more recession and political unrest and not until the late Franco's years in post WWII did the country really recover and join up (almost) with its European neighbours. In the 1970's , Spain had the fastest growing economy in Europe.

The loss of the colonies was prompted by the Napoleonic wars and the short French rule over Spain, by the way.

 

[Julien]

Originally posted by Sodak

Uh, find a good map of sub-saharan africa. Look at the railroad system, built mainly by the Brits. Keep an eye on where cities and resources are located. Now try to tell me this was established for any reason other than easy extraction of natural resources. In other words, to "rape the land of all natural resources," to enhance the British economy at the expense of the Africans.

But what independant country does not have to rape its land in order to survive anyway ?

 

[kIndal]

Originally posted by Julien
I think that Spain has been in trouble economically already when the colonisation was flourishing in the 16th century. The country almost went bankrupt several times.

Yes, it is true, it was caused by European wars, diferent wars in the Netherlands were the true reason of the decandence of Spain, it wasted all his fortune and working men fighting against Dutch

 

[MrPresident]

Uh, find a good map of sub-saharan africa. Look at the railroad system, built mainly by the Brits. Keep an eye on where cities and resources are located. Now try to tell me this was established for any reason other than easy extraction of natural resources. In other words, to "rape the land of all natural resources," to enhance the British economy at the expense of the Africans.

If you look at the history of Nigeria then you can see that the Africans are just as good at raping their land of all natural resources, perhaps better. The British did exploit their colonies and no-one would argue otherwise. However they also helped develop the country, introduce law and order, government organisation and lots of other useful advances. The British were not just in it for themselves they wanted to introduce civilisation to the incivilised. Of course this view has serious flaws in it and with hindsight should not have been persued but do not blame Britain for the current situation in Africa. Remember the US was once a British colony and now it is the most powerful nation on earth.

 

[adamsj]

I that the "English Empire" was the British Empire!

The fact that British Empire had at its peak a quarter of the globe, it is enought to say who I voted for.

But I think the Spanish might have gained more from their empire, more treasure for Central and South America!

 

[MrPresident]

But I think the Spanish might have gained more from their empire, more treasure for Central and South America!

Sure Spain got lots of treasure but it didn't get anything long-lasting. For example the fall of the British Empire created the Commmonwealth whereas there is no Spanish rival.

 

[fantasy_sports]

Spain at its peak(around 1590) included the Americas into the SW US and the whole Iberian Peninsula.

 

[Shaka Naldur]

Originally posted by fantasy_sports
Spain at its peak(around 1590) included the Americas into the SW US and the whole Iberian Peninsula.

at it peaks included all the portuguesse colonies also

but the spanish empire wasn´t smartly managed, money isn´t enough to govern such a big empire

something impressive about the spanish empire is how fast they conquered lands and empires that they didn´t even know that existed months before

 

[Sodak]

Originally posted by MrPresident
Sure Spain got lots of treasure but it didn't get anything long-lasting. For example the fall of the British Empire created the Commmonwealth whereas there is no Spanish rival.

How about the 500 million people (or whatever the correct number is) who speak spanish as a first language? Who look to Spain as their parent culture? Sure, there is no political remnant, but their impact has definitely lasted.

 

[aska26]

WE R IN THE pHILIPPINES R NOT ALL FANATICAL WE R ONLY GIVING LIFE TO OUR RICH CULTURE GIVEN BY SPANISH WE R THE ONLY NATION THAT DONT FORGET TO GO TO MASS ALL OTHER CATHOLIC NATIONS R DEFEATED LAZYNESS AND VANITIES THIER EXCHANGE THIER ETERNAL HAPINESS TO TEMPORORAL GOODS THEY DONT EVEN GO TO MASS NOT ALL CATHOLICS R FANATICS
WE R JUST ONLY PRACTICING OUR FAITH DONT EVER INSULT OUR RELIGIOU PRACTICES WE HAVE OWN RIGHT TO EXPRESS OUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

 

[andycapp]

Originally posted by Sodak

How about the 500 million people (or whatever the correct number is) who speak spanish as a first language? Who look to Spain as their parent culture? Sure, there is no political remnant, but their impact has definitely lasted.

Don't be fooled into believing the propaganda of some Brits about the Commonwealth. Some Brits (and others who pine for the days of Empire) would have you believe that it is the 'British' Commonwealth of Nations and an extension of British influence and power - which is a load of codswallop.

The reality is Britain has one vote like every other member although as much as possible matters are determined by consensus. Britain undoubtably wields much influence within the Commonwealth but as Maggie Thatcher found out if you don't have the numbers you don't get what you want.

Queen Elizabeth II may be the titular head of the Commonwealth (and many of it's members) but she does not rule.

Having said that I think the British Empire and it's effect on the world has undoubtably been greater than the Spanish.

 

[Charles XII]

I'd say that the british empire was of vastly more strength being on firm economic grounds rather than the rickety marrige and inflation based Hapsburg empires.

 

[aska26]

English Empire destroy our eautiful city manila when they plunder and occupies during 7 yrs of war they have no manners

 

[Demetrias]

It was not the Spanish Empire that was quick to Grap up the Empires it never new about. It was those Spanish crooks. its like being proud you have the best crooks in the whole world. Thats all Cortes and Pizzaro were. And Georgia is the Place that England sent its prisoners not New England.

 

[MrPresident]

"And Georgia is the Place that England sent its prisoners not New England."

I thought we sent indebted people to Georgia and the prisoners to Australia.

 

[alephz]

Spain was the world´s hegemonic superpower along two centurys or so, including Europe. England never was a hegemonic superpower and never had any power about Europe.