Use of the word 'Britons' to designate the British people: original Celtic inhabitants of Britain, was part of George III's propaganda during the Seven Years' War, found its way into the famous patriotic song 'Rule Britannia' (brochure, p. According to the journalist, Britain's former imperial status is still determining its foreign policies (such as its involvement in Iraq), its economy and its sense of identity. This can be shown by its connection with the United States, sometimes ambiguous and tinged with apprehension, but also by its membership of and relationships with the European Union, although this attempt came to a brutal end with the outcome of the 'Brexit' referendum. Since the fall of the Empire, Britain has been striving to find a new role in world politics.

Today, many aspects of the history of the British Empire, such as slavery, are very shocking to us and hurt our modern sensibilities. That idea already played a major role in the final dissolution of the Empire in the 2 nd half of the 20th century. Moreover, we now recognise that every nation should be able to decide for itself and shape its own destiny. However, the way Europeans consider their imperial past today is marked by a profound sense of post-colonial guilt, as we have come to question and reject racial hierarchies and the moral right of a 'superior' and more-civilised nation to rule it over peoples reputed as 'inferior', 'backward' and in need of European support and guidance. Many memorials erected to commemorate the heroes of the Empire are still visible today all around Britain. Indeed, the possession of an overseas Empire fostered national pride and even today, tales of the British Empire have the power to conjure up memories of former British glory, when Britain was the greatest world-power on earth. More importantly, it also helped shape British identity and civilisation. Indeed, at the height of its expansion, it covered more than a quarter of the earth's surface, and its political, economic and cultural aspects have exercised a great influence on the shaping of the modern world. The British Empire occupies a central place in the history of the world.

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