View Full Version : Greatest British contribution to the world ?
I have waited to post this thread as the list may be longer than that of any other countries. Britain has had a remarkably important role in shaping today's world compared to its tiny size (half the land area of France or Texas).
British inventions alone include the steam engine, the gas turbine, the railway, the gas stove/cooker, the car, negative & colour photography, radio waves, the jet engine and arguably also video games.
We also owe to Britain the agricultural and industrial revolutions, and a big part in the development of mercantilism, free trade, capitalism, economic liberalism.
England was the first major country to have a parliament (after Iceland and the Isle of Man).
English is now the most widely spoken language around the world, and the official language of science, computering, aviation and diplomacy, among others.
But Britain's contribution to the world are not limited to its system and inventions. Britain is has given the world famous brands of food, drinks and clothes, such as :
- Tea & Jam : Fortnum & Mason, Lipton, Twinings, Pickwick, Whittards, Wilkin & Son Tiptree, Chivers/Hartleys, Rather Jolly, Thursday Cottage...
- Clothes : Burberry, Paul Smith, Alred Dunhill, Vivienne Westwood, FCUK...
- Cars : Roll Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, Lotus, Aston Martin, MG, Mini Cooper, Rover
Many famous novels and children stories are also British. Many of them were adapted by Disney or Hollywood :
- Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Marry Poppins, Oliver Twist, Lords of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc.
A very difficult subject to post. I have selected several, but overall the two most important are the Industrial Revolution and the English Language. Both have shaped the world in which we live in today. I did think about putting on this thread myself, but I found it a case of 'Where do I start?' and 'I've got to check to make sure'. But what you have is a good set of choices.
Dutch Baka
26-06-05, 17:45
Viagra!!!! Peter Dunn and Albert Wood both of Kent, England are named as the inventors of the process of a drug for Pfizer by which Viagra was created.
i dont use it, but when i am 55 and it dont work good anymore,, :( i will be happy to use viagra
Well so much to choose from, but I will stick with the industrial revolution and the great invetions, rails and what not, and with one particular man, Brunel. This guy was amazing, made the first modern rail track, first steel ship, and then an even bigger one, he was just a great genius. Not to offend any british person, but when it comes to the legacy of Great Britain I always think of the many problems it has left behind. Palestine, Cyprus, Kashmir, just to name a few. Another important contribution i feel is Great Britain in WW2, basically the only European country to really resist Hitler, I mean just really great effort, only the Air battles are just incredible, outnumbered and in those conditions the britts made the germans bite the dust. Really extraordinary in my view.
Sensuikan San
27-06-05, 04:41
I think the greatest contribution that Great Britain made to the world occurred in 1940 and was described by the historian A.J.P. Taylor thus ...
Question ... What was the greatest acomplishment of Great Britain during World War II ?
Answer ... They kept it going !
Apart from that ... :cool: ... yeah ! ... we ain't done too bad, have we !
But - I would like to make a few comments with regard to the poll ...
The Automobile? Shouldn't Herr Daimler and his fellow Germans have kudos for that ?
Was Tolkien really British?
And ...no classical music ? Let's wipe the smiles off the faces of the Germans/Austrians/Italians ... and remind them of Holst(?), Vaughan-Williams, Walton, Benjamin Britten, Butterworth .... and a few others !
Regards
ジョン
Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Elizabithen theater. Wait a moment, isn't that what actors called during Queen Elizabeth's reign? :? I really don't know. And what about Protastant Cathlocism? The break away from the Catholic church happened in England. And the only person that was trying to restore the Catholic church back to it's original state was Mary. I'm not sure about my knowladge of history. So, would the Protastant ideology also be a British contribution to the world? :clueless:
The Automobile? Shouldn't Herr Daimler and his fellow Germans have kudos for that ?
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car#History) : " It was in Birmingham also that the first four wheel petrol-driven automobiles were built in Britain in 1895 by Frederick William Lanchester who also patented the disc brake in the city." But it's true that Daimler, Benz, and Maybach had built motorbikes, car engines and what could be called a car 9-10 years before.
Was Tolkien really British?
Why not ? He was born in South Africa to an English father at a time where there was no such thing as South African nationality. He moved to England when he was 3, was schooled in Birmingham and went to Oxford university. He became a professor at Leeds, then Oxford. He spent most of his life in England.
And ...no classical music ? Let's wipe the smiles off the faces of the Germans/Austrians/Italians ... and remind them of Holst(?), Vaughan-Williams, Walton, Benjamin Britten, Butterworth .... and a few others !
I thought about classical music too, but Britain has not many great names as you said compared to some other countries.
And what about Protastant Cathlocism? The break away from the Catholic church happened in England. And the only person that was trying to restore the Catholic church back to it's original state was Mary. I'm not sure about my knowladge of history. So, would the Protastant ideology also be a British contribution to the world? :clueless:
Protestanism started with Luther in Germany and Calvin in Switzerland. Henry VIII seceded from Rome for political reasons. Anglicanism is just another form of Catholicism as the dogma is almost identical. We could call it Anglican Catholicism, as opposed to Roman Catholicism. "Bloody Mary" was born a Roman Catholic and married the very Catholic King Philip II of Spain. She tried to restore this after her father's death, but only verry briefly. One century later, King James II (who was a friend of Louis XIV of France) also tried to restore Roman Catholicism, but was forced into exile during the Glorious Revolution (William of Orange then became king). To know more, you can read my brief History of England (http://www.eupedia.com/england/english_history.shtml).
That's right, it was Martin Luther and Calvin. I can't belive I forgot that. Thanks for the info Mac. :cool:
I picked language and people. But not the politicians you listed. I admire people like Robert Owen and Kier Hardy. Without people like that I would working fourteen hours a day at t' mill! :relief:
Miss_apollo7
29-06-05, 21:19
I have participated in the poll. :-)
I have chosen several, but my favourite are:
Biscuits,
The English language,
The universities,
Burberry & Mulberry
Another important contribution not mentioned is: (quoted from wikipedia):
PENICILLIN & Alexander Fleming:
It was serendipitously rediscovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, who noticed a halo of inhibition of bacterial growth around a contaminant blue-green mould on a Staphylococcus culture. Fleming concluded that the mould was releasing a substance that was inhibiting bacterial growth. He grew a pure culture and discovered that the fungus was Penicillium notatum ― he later named the bacterial inhibiting substance penicillin after the Penicillium notatum that released it.
Fleming was convinced after conducting some more experiments that penicillin could not last long enough in the human body to kill pathogenic bacteria and stopped studying penicillin after 1931.
It would prove to be the discovery that changed modern medicine. In 1939, Howard Walter Florey and a team of researchers at Oxford University made significant progress in showing Penicillin's in vivo ability to kill infectious bacteria.
This eventually led to commercial production of penicillin and the belief that modern medicine has led the world in an era free of diseases.
Frank D. White
30-06-05, 01:15
2 of the most wonderful people in my life were "Made in England" ; my wife of 28 years and a special "GOOD" mother-in law!!
Frank
:cool:
Sensuikan San
30-06-05, 04:55
I picked language and people. But not the politicians you listed. I admire people like Robert Owen and Kier Hardy. Without people like that I would working fourteen hours a day at t' mill! :relief:
Good comment! I totally agree !
ジョン
Miss_apollo7
07-07-05, 15:59
2 of the most wonderful people in my life were "Made in England" ; my wife of 28 years and a special "GOOD" mother-in law!!
Frank
:cool:
That is sweet Uncle Frank!!!! :cool:
one of my fav british contributions is oasis
Pararousia
12-07-05, 23:39
I voted for parliamentary monarchy because it inspired a lot of the development of our government in the US which then has spawned other democracys.
Let me add that Jaguars may actually be the leading cause of headaches in the world, rather than contribution.
(You go, Dutch Baka! LOL)
Pararousia
12-07-05, 23:40
Mac, Perhaps you could do a thread on greatest Japanese discoveries/inventions next?
Mac, Perhaps you could do a thread on greatest Japanese discoveries/inventions next?
FYI, there is already such a thread here (http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16125). I thought it was clearly visible to all on the main index of Japan Reference (http://www.jref.com/), but I am now wondering what %age of forum members frequently visit the main index.
There are also similar threads about Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy linked from the Eupedia main index (http://www.eupedia.com/), and about the US here (http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16882). ;-)
Silverpoint
20-07-05, 13:53
Isaac Newton. Hands down. No one person in history has even come close to advancing our understanding of the world in the way he did.
In a more flippant vein, I'd also like to nominate Cheddar Cheese. My God, I miss it.
Probably Neville Barnes Wallis who invented the "Bouncing Bomb". You could argue that without the "Bouncing Bomb" the war could have taken a very different path.
IMHO, industrial revolution and mechanical inventions. And probably lots of scientists too, except I can't think of any (that haven't been already posted) right now! :p And the negative/colour photography is pretty important too, I think.
On a lighter note, Harry Potter and Hobnobs (they are British, right? :? )
I love Hobnobs, especailly the ones with dark chocolate. mmmm.... :homer: Shouldn't forget Jaffa Cakes though
I'm thinking it is the steam engine and the mini cooper.
I also love the old brit theologians.
Isn't the Pinzgauer made in GB now?
Miss_apollo7
04-08-05, 19:52
I love Hobnobs, especailly the ones with dark chocolate. mmmm.... :homer: Shouldn't forget Jaffa Cakes though
HOBNOBS I agree!!! YUMMY!! One can get addicted to them.....
Speaking of cookies and chocolate, I also adore Maltesers!!!
i had always thought tetra pak had been british which is definitely one of the worlds greatest inventions but a quick check revelas its origins to be sweden
well, in that case i have to vote for the sinclair c5
unappreciated in its time and almost forgotten in this day and age
the time has come for its revival (or not)
http://www.sinclairc5.com/images/Photos/P0000744.jpg
:hey: You forgot sitcoms!!! Like Red Dwarf, Monty Python, To the Manor Born, Fawlty Towers, Mr. Bean, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Blackadder, and many more I'm sure. British humor & comedy. And my world would be a different place without Jarvis Cocker, LOL. He's funny too.
Now you've discovered my secret - I'm also a Anglophile. But you still don't know that I'm a Canada-o-phile, heh.
Football, Tennis, Rugby, Cricket!
An excellent topic, with many good answers....
But I think there is a progression of elements which made Britain great...
One, it is an island, and difficult to defeat and change, although it has been invaded and defeated and assimilated many times, just much less than areas with land borders with warring neighboring tribes.
It had tin, which attracted foreigners, probably Egyptians and Greeks over the millenia, who used it for bronze production, which was a major military advantage.
It had large oak trees, one primary ingredient for having a Navy. Even Egypt did not have large trees, or any trees, they had to conscript the Phoenicians who had Cedars of Lebanon, and then they had a large world trade Navy. Like the British became, with their oak trees and Navy.
With a Navy, it developed world trade.
With world trade, it developed an imperialism apparatus which spread its language use.
With world language use, it gave to the world a unified language of sorts, but please don't tell that to the French, a very proud and wonderful people, who with their Viking Normans invaded England and Ireland, etc. etc. But note how the defeated English STILL retained the language element over the invading Norman French?!
But the simple answer is ...most definitly "English language" to the world.
I would answer (if it was proposed) ...The USA. That is the greatest contribution the british made to the world, as their former colony finnaly overperformed great-britain to replace it as the super-power.
I would answer (if it was proposed) ...The USA. That is the greatest contribution the british made to the world, as their former colony finnaly overperformed great-britain to replace it as the super-power.
Possibly. But I have my reserves about this, because the USA was founded as much by German and Irish settlers than British ones. There were also some Scandinavian and Dutch settlers (in the colonies of the New Netherlands and New Sweden, which became respectively the states of New York and Delaware). In fact, when asked about their ancestry, much more Americans claim to have German ancestry than British ones (check this thread (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19411)).
gaijinalways
07-01-08, 06:15
Language would stand out for me. Sorry IMO the food brands aren't quite international, excepting Liptons and Whittards maybe. As to inventions, yes, Viagra appears to be a milestone!
Sorry IMO the food brands aren't quite international, excepting Liptons and Whittards maybe.
Whittard isn't common at all here. The British teas that I have seen the most in continental Europe and Japan are Lipton, Twinings and Fortnum & Mason. Tiptree jam (Wilkin & Sons) is found just about everywhere nowadays. As for biscuits and sweets, Walkers, Quality Street, Cadburry, etc. are all very widespread in Europe and beyond. Except for Fortnum & Mason, you can find all these brands even in a small supermarket in Belgium.
As to inventions, yes, Viagra appears to be a milestone!
O come on what country wants to be remembered for helping people get it up?
O come on what country wants to be remembered for helping people get it up?
Well, it is a famous medicine, known around the world. However we could argue that it is not really a British contribution since it was developed by Pfizer, an American company. The labs were in England, that's true... But I don't know the nationality of the researchers. It was probably an international team.
gaijinalways
08-01-08, 08:04
From what I understand, one of the leading chemists was British. I met a colleague of his when traveling in Japan, and he told me at the time it was released the said chemist was a minor celebrity in the UK.
O come on what country wants to be remembered for helping people get it up?
I didn't say they wanted to be remembered for it, I just said that they are.
Tiptree jam (Wilkin & Sons) is found just about everywhere nowadays. As for biscuits and sweets, Walkers, Quality Street, Cadburry, etc. are all very widespread in Europe and beyond. Except for Fortnum & Mason, you can find all these brands even in a small supermarket in Belgium.
Tiptree jam, have never seen it when I've traveled in Europe, and certainly not in Japan or the US. Walkers and Cadburry they sell regularly here and elsewhere. But Quality Street? Never even heard of it.
Just a side note, Walkers is Scottish. I don't know if you'd want to call a Scotsman British. One has told me it was okay (I think on this forum), but most I've met said it was not likely to be a message delivered in good health.
I didn't say they wanted to be remembered for it, I just said that they are.
health.[/quote]
Tongue firmly in cheek.
Its actually manufactured in Ireland, its really inflated our GDP.
Tiptree jam, have never seen it when I've traveled in Europe, and certainly not in Japan or the US.
They sell Tiptree jam in Carrefour hypermarkets, as well as some smaller subsidiaries (like GB in Belgium). In Japan, just go to any Meiji-ya, or some other supermarkets with imported products. I could even find Belgian jam in local, regular (not import specialist) supermarket in Tokyo !
Walkers and Cadburry they sell regularly here and elsewhere. But Quality Street? Never even heard of it.
Quality Street is an old British brand, It now belongs to the Nestle Group. When I was a child, there were always some at my grandmother's house. So it's been a while since it has gone international (much longer than Tiptree, which was hard to find in Belgium 10 years ago).
Just a side note, Walkers is Scottish. I don't know if you'd want to call a Scotsman British.
Of course ! What is more British than a Scotsman ? Great Britain is an island composed of Scotland, England and Wales (and Cornwall if you insisit that it is not really English). So I would understand that the status of people in Northern Ireland isn't clear, as they are not geographically British, but are politically. But Scotland is not even a matter for discussion. Never English, but unmistakably British.
gaijinalways
09-01-08, 07:29
Quality Street is an old British brand, It now belongs to the Nestle Group. When I was a child, there were always some at my grandmother's house. So it's been a while since it has gone international (much longer than Tiptree, which was hard to find in Belgium 10 years ago).
I didn't know it was under the Nestle brand now, still haven't seen it unless they changed the name too.
But Scotland is not even a matter for discussion. Never English, but unmistakably British.
You best explain it to a pub full of Scotsman then, but make sure an exit is handy if you wish to avoid flying bottles.
I didn't know it was under the Nestle brand now, still haven't seen it unless they changed the name too.
Here it is (http://www.qualitystreet.co.uk/home/). If you see the boxes, maybe you'll remember seeing it. The boxes used to be different though; less purple, with a big picture of an early 19th-century British soldier and a woman in the middle.
You best explain it to a pub full of Scotsman then, but make sure an exit is handy if you wish to avoid flying bottles.
I don't think you understand. They don't have the choice. Britishness is not just a political thing but a geographic one too. I am rather in favour of the independence of Scotland, but they would still be British (and European) after that, because they live on an island called Britain. Now if they want to dig a (Panama-like) canal along the border to make it a separate island, then we could discuss... But what's the point ?
Silverbackman
12-01-08, 08:48
Don't forget unifying India, lol.
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