• cilantrofellow [any]
    ·
    edit-2
    4 years ago

    Probably more than a decade ago I stumbled on someones alt history blog and they had one which was like “what if Robert Clive successfully committed suicide?” and India was never colonized by the British. It’s great man shit (though the actual history of Indian colonization is insane) and I’m pretty sure it made France the global empire which is ridiculous but it was definitely unique.

    • alcoholicorn [comrade/them, doe/deer]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I’m pretty sure it made France the global empire which is ridiculous

      Is France not a global empire? There's french colonies and ex-colonies all over the world.

      • EldritchMayo [he/him,comrade/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        France was kinda shitty at doing imperialism by the decolonization period. They couldn’t let go of their colonies, but they also couldn’t win against them. They lost Indochina and Algeria to resistance movements because they were a crippled country after ww2. So honestly, by the late period at least, France was very much trying to hold onto their “global empire” completely unsuccessfully. Uk was strong until the end, unfortunately, and crushed many movements in places such as Malaysia.

        • Mardoniush [she/her]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Honestly outside SE Asia and Algeria France has been far more successful than Britain in maintaining imperial power. West Africa is still basically controlled by French interests, as Sankara pointed out (and was shot for his trouble)

          • Rodentsteak [he/him]
            hexagon
            ·
            4 years ago

            Francafrique has become much less of a factor since then. Not that its not a thing, but its less of a thing.

      • cilantrofellow [any]
        ·
        edit-2
        4 years ago

        yes right, but as replacing the british empire as being on top.