Johnny Red
1st November 2004, 14:53
If you want a book that will have you wincing from cover to cover, get Corelli Barnett's
'The Lost Victory - British Dreams, British Realities 1945-1950' .
Barnett argues very convincingly that far from being a recent phenomenon, the 'rot' had set in for the British by about 1890 with outdated industrial practices, inadequate education/ training, poor employee relations and a strange altruistic outlook on what Britains world role should be.
Far from being an asset , the Empire was a huge net drain on financial and military resouces both up to and throughout the Second World war.
I certainly didn't realise for example that the reward for defending India against the Japanese - quite aside from the human costs at Singapore - was a bill from the Indians for goods and services rendered for 1.4 billion pounds. Multiply by 40 for todays figure.
So that's how they could afford all those Canberras and Hunters.
As if that wasn't bad enough, everyone else from the Argentinians to the Zambians were keeping a similar You-Owe-Us tally.
After the war the government concentrated on unsustainable health, welfare and housing commitments , instead of reorganising the economy and modernising British industry.
Read it and weep. There's even a chapter on 'The presteige of the aircraft industry' which will challenge a few deeply held beliefs and make you cringe some more.
'The Lost Victory - British Dreams, British Realities 1945-1950' .
Barnett argues very convincingly that far from being a recent phenomenon, the 'rot' had set in for the British by about 1890 with outdated industrial practices, inadequate education/ training, poor employee relations and a strange altruistic outlook on what Britains world role should be.
Far from being an asset , the Empire was a huge net drain on financial and military resouces both up to and throughout the Second World war.
I certainly didn't realise for example that the reward for defending India against the Japanese - quite aside from the human costs at Singapore - was a bill from the Indians for goods and services rendered for 1.4 billion pounds. Multiply by 40 for todays figure.
So that's how they could afford all those Canberras and Hunters.
As if that wasn't bad enough, everyone else from the Argentinians to the Zambians were keeping a similar You-Owe-Us tally.
After the war the government concentrated on unsustainable health, welfare and housing commitments , instead of reorganising the economy and modernising British industry.
Read it and weep. There's even a chapter on 'The presteige of the aircraft industry' which will challenge a few deeply held beliefs and make you cringe some more.