What has england done recently?
It all depends on how recent you want to be!
If you include the time of the "empire" ......
Abolition of Slavery
Starting State democracy
The industrial revolution
Preventing Hitler from ruling the world
modern nursing
What that is not recent enough for you?
Well how about stopping the prolifferation of G.M. crops?
The computer
modern high speed aircraft
If you look there are many examples of both good and bad issues any empire is involved with. Some may not like the results of our penal system! others do!
Anyway I can win the arguement with one word ..... BEER