202410081041 Status: #idea Tags: #british_empire #politics #economics #institutions # The British Empire was built in a decentralized way Britain’s initial forays into empire building were not top-down, king-directed affairs. Instead, English buccaneers and pirates acted independently to pillage Spanish and Portuguese colonies. They gradually came to win land and inspired other British to make for the New World. In addition, Britain’s king had significant restrictions placed upon him, early on by the wealthy aristocracy and later on by Parliament. This contrasted sharply with the absolute monarchies in continental powers like Spain and France. As a result, Britain’s government had more sovereign-to-sovereign stability since one mad king could not unilaterally implement destructive policies. These two facts encouraged and fostered entrepreneurship and initiative throughout the British Empire, sowing the seeds of its future as the head of the capitalist and industrial revolutions. --- # References [[Empire_ the rise and demise of the British world order and the lessons for global power]]