If it wasn't for Britain, would the USA be as successful as it is/was?

Question

This is not a dig at Americans in anyway, i'm just asking the question, respect my right to ask it.

The question relates to key elements - the fact that the USA speaks English, and has the social and justice systems/ models of the UK in many ways etc.

Answer 1

Nope. I don't think so.

Answer 2

You know the we could say the same thing about the UK. If it weren't for America would the UK still be a viable force in the world. Let's face facts, the two countries and intimately connected by a common language and a common past. We are great allies and we make each other better. I'm not sure there would be one without the other.

Answer 3

I agree. Without England, the USA would be just a part of Mexico.

Answer 4

good question this, despite what many Americans may think. if Britannia  had not ruled the waves for over 100 years when America got it's Independence it is doubtful they would be. because of the British navy America were free from invasions and was allowed to grow and grow in peace.

Answer 5

It would be a number of key factors from many different countries. Do to the fact that we inspire many to come to our country and live the American dream.  We have been able to start many new business as immigrants where able to bring their old world craftsmanship and introduce it to the masses.

Answer 6

Where would England be without Macdonalds? :-)

The UK is not a drain on any nation. We are a beautifully tolerant nation who continue to be tred on by immigrants, chavs and terrorists. We are simply too nice for our own good, hence why we have so many problems on our little (but powerful) island.

America, however, with its polluting, is a drain on the world and our future.

Answer 7

No!The USA would not have been as successful as it once was!It is now recognised the the USA is a declining economice power!But made most of it's wealth through the Second World War!

Answer 8

If it were not for the USA , Britain would not be here today

Answer 9

Britain has been a good friend to the US.  No I don't think it would have been as successful.

Answer 10

Well, many countries have a system of law based on English common law.....which is mostly based on the Bible....honestly Britain really can't take credit for the Ten Commandments, now can it?  Part of our law system comes from the early Iroquois nations as well.

And, while English is the language that is chosen as a more international language overseas, I am certain that that probably had more to do with the fact that it is the vernacular of the United States, Canada, Australia and  New Zealand  more than it does Great Britain.

I would say that the US is as successful as it is...in spite of Britain. If the UK had had it's way early on, we most definitely would not be where we are today.

Answer 11

I think the question goes both ways:  Would Brittain have its current model of democracy without the "great experiment" of the US Constitutional system?  Clearly with the Magna Carta etc. they were going in the right direction, but would they be as far advanced as they are now?

Ultimately, I think both countries are better for having associated with each other - and of course that is completely ignoring the fact that the US founders were Brittish.

As for "where would Brittain be without McDonalds", we all know the answer is "Wimpies".

Personally, I do *NOT* think English (the language) is a good world-wide "lingua Franca" - indeed French would be far superior.  English is harder to teach because of its idioms and inconsistancies due to its mixed ancestry (Germanic, Celtic, Roman).  About the only place where English (as a language) has been a superior tool is poetry - and only because of its ambiguity.  It may be that that ambiguity allows for richer nuance without a larger vocabulary - but that's one of the things that is hardest to learn.

However, I will not detract from either the people or their culture on the basis of their eccentric language.  With perhaps the exception of the Islamic fundamentalists, I think most countries would agree that the world has profited from this partnership.

Answer 12

Firstly, Britain Founded the UNited States of America, and most of the american's today have British Ancestory, however this is many many years ago, however we British Must respect the fact that the American's founded there own laws, and constitution, yes it can be argued that there whole constitution is largely influnced by ours, however they have made theirs unique in it's own way by having a codified constitution. i.e the declaration of Independance etc. The USA would not be as successful as it was without the British however is USA is now successful all on it's own and has been for hundreds of years. Currently the UK and USA largely depend on each other and we Economically trade a vast amount especially in Capital. Without each other we could survive however as we are great allies of the world we are strenghtend and blossom with each other.

There is no 'UK is better than the USA' or vice versa, as we are allies and are largely the same and united. When i was younger i believe that the UK was the best country in the world etc, but it quickly became clear that without such trade agreement like the EU and NATO etc we are nothing. Just one small island populated with average humanbeings. I will admit the UK has produced largely the most successful inventors and inventions, and some of the most famous figuires in history. Most of the world has been heavily influenced by the British and especially when the Empire existed most countries were made to be like us, however gladly this rein has ceased to exist, but still we have a large influence on the world never mind the USA this is basically due to our Financial situation.

I will conclude with the basis that the UK and USA are largely dependant on each other, and therefore seem to merge as one, especially in times of crisis i.e War, Foreign policy, Economic Crisis etc.

Answer 13

england would not be around if not for the us it would have been controlled by terroists.  stop dissing the usa. if it wouldn't been for us life would be totally different for u brits

Answer 14

Personally, I don't like either of the countries all that much, considering how both decided to enslave d**n near entire races, multiple times and even themselves. But moving along, America beat the British in the American revolution? Or did I fall alseep in class? Hmm... However, it could have been any country in Britains shoes. India, Africa, Asia, etc. If you seriously want to try to give a nation credit for a few peoples ideas on religious freedom, you go right ahead. I mean, we can thank the cavemen, for giving us toes right? ;) Ya'll trying to get credit for Australia too?

Answer 15

If it wasn't for Britain, the USA wouldn't even be here today, but if it wasn't for the USA, there would be a German flag flying over London today, so we'll call it even.

How can you say that the fact that the USA was involved in WWII is irrelevant?  The USA was made even more successful because of WWII, it energized our industry, and we prospered after the war, so it is another answer to your original question.  Again, the USA is successful because of Britain, because we had to come defend you against the n***s.

Answer 16

Purely on the basis that the predominant settlers were English/British I would have to say that without British influence the US would not have achieved the status it has.

Had the French, Spanish or Northern Mainland Europeans been the greater source of colonists can it really be said that America would have taken the course it did? I think not. It would have been greatly influenced by these countries, each of whom went through a vast change during the period of colonisation in terms of social, legal and parliamentary systems which in turn would have affected America.

The advantage of speaking English has also proved a bonus since all business and trade transactions have been conducted in said since the early 1700's, due to the expanse of the British Empire, the original stock market and the largest trade group, The East India Company, being British owned - and not, as Tracey Seth [above] claims, because America speaks a form of it -  coupled with the roots of the industrial revolution in Britain producing more goods for overseas buyers. It is this driving force of Capitalism that still turns the cogs in American society today. Would the US be like that if France had been the "mother country" or would America lean more toward their dreaded fear - socialism...

The justice/legal system is almost a direct lift in it's basic form (with a few tweaks, of course) and the US Constitution is again based in essence on a similar British document, namely the Magna Carta.

There are too many similarities, as there are differences, between the two countries to ignore the fact that without the smaller the larger would be in a far different form to what we are used to. Despite what many in the US would like everyone to think, America is the wayward creation of Britain and not a country that found it's own way at it's inception since almost at every turn it mimicked it's older relative. Only until the 20th century do we see a break from this pattern and the US come into it's own.

Answer 17

It would be part of Canada...not mexico

Answer 18

sure...Britan is a drain,not an asset

Answer 19

of course not , it was taken over by the brits

and boy you need to take a history class, my love

anyway thats not to say that there were people already here!

so, would you and i be here and so forth if it wasnt for them

we dont know

but I'm glad that they did, because people swim over oceans

risk their lives to come here.