Was the British Empire a good thing that enlarged the world creating possibilities for everyone or was it just a way for some to gain power and wealth?

The British Empire has been the largest colonial empire in history, it comprised nearly one fifth of the earths surface. With colonies all over the world including Africa, India, North America, Australia, East Asia, all fell under British rule or occupation. British History can include the history of all those colonies that were ruled by and or influenced by the British. The British imperial century took place from 1815, the end of the Napoleonic Wars until the year 1914, the beginning of World War I. During this century, the British Empire stretched all over the globe extending its language, its culture, and its economy throughout Africa, India, Asia, and the Chinese and Ottoman empires, and further. I think that the British preferred to rule its empire for reasons such as finances, fear of conflict, and governmental responsibilities and burdens. There were times when formal rule was required, and Britain's self image of power gave it the will to use force if necessary.

English: Map of the British Indian Empire from Imp...

English: The World in 1897. "The British Possessio...

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Imperialism is the way in which a group gains formal or informal influence over another group's politics, society, and economy.

Firstly, there isn't an explanation why Britain gained so much global power so suddenly. It has been said that perhaps it was due to British superiority economically as well as its technology. British expansion during the 19th century primarily focused around the scramble for Africa. Although there had been a British and greater European presence in Africa prior to the last two decades of the 19th century revolved around the slave trade. With the abolition of the slave trade within the British Empire and a complete abolition of slavery across the empire in 1834 there was little interest in Africa by Britain until the end of the century. This lack of interest in Africa did not include The...