Fionn, states above:

"We live in a world recently dominated by Britain, now dominated by the US, both of which got rich by behaviour we would now regard as criminal." If these countries were moving heaven and earth to restore some balance in the world, fine, but they're trying (successfully in the USA's case) to maintain their ill-gotten advantage."

The phrase, "both of which got rich by behaviour we would now regard as criminal" The "we would now" part is important, at the time they got rich of course it was not regarded as being criminal.

"If these countries were moving heaven and earth to restore some balance in the world, fine, but they're trying (successfully in the USA's case) to maintain their ill-gotten advantage."

Slavery was mentioned, greatest slave traders in the world were the Arabs, the foremost western nation in the fight to abolish the slave trade was Britain. Fionn would like to depict the period of the British Empire as totally evil, an Empire built on conquest and repression. There were of course elements of each, but predominantly, the British Empire was formed on trade, not conquest. If what Fionn would like us to believe was true - I would dearly love to hear what the explanation of how the Commonwealth came into being - it is the second largest international organisation of countries in the world, second only to the United Nations. Unlike the the United Nations, there are no members with special status, everybody has an equal voice. Currently there is a waiting list of countries whose histories have absolutely no connection with Britain, or it's empire, applying for membership.

Fionn also forgets the massive contribution the United States of America has made throughout the world in defending freedom and in alleviating suffering - The Marshal Plan, instigated towards the end of hostilities of the Second World War, basically rebuilt the world - but Fionn gives them no credit for it. Obviously that undeniable truth does not suit his/her arguement, or line of reasoning.