How did England — a poor and divided island — become the world’s greatest empire?
In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that England succeeded because it was a poor and divided island.
Throughout most of its history, the different peoples of Britain were engaged in open co-operative competition. Their division meant that foreign invaders could come and conquer them, which led to creative destruction. The conflict and poverty within the island forced many to migrate, which led to colonial expansion.
These structural forces would permit England to adopt the three major innovations that would allow it to dominate the globe. Its royal navy opened markets for British goods, and protected global trade. The Bank of England allowed for the financing of wars. The English language allowed England to project soft power.
