Spilling the Tea: A Comparative Analysis of Development in Ex-British Colonies

The British Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen, and as such, has significantly impacted many of the countries it formerly held as colonies. Imposing a Western style of governance would change the political operations of a nation and would fundamentally shift power dynamics within the country. Through a review of the existing literature on the subject, this thesis examines the effects that British imperial rule had on four different countries in both their social and economic development in the post-colonial era. Overall, the results indicate that Britain failed to set their colonies up for long-term development and success, instead creating a culture of dependency that would maintain the global balance of power. However, these impacts were much harsher in majority-minority countries and disproportionately affected marginalised populations around the world