The Decline of the British Empire

Join us for a focused and engaging discussion on the decline of the British Empire, tracing its gradual unraveling from the aftermath of the First World War to the wave of decolonization that reshaped the global order in the mid-twentieth century. Once described as “the empire on which the sun never sets,” Britain presided over a vast network of territories spanning every continent. Yet within a few decades, economic exhaustion, nationalist movements, global war, and shifting geopolitical power eroded imperial authority. This session explores how and why a global superpower relinquished its empire—and what replaced it.

Topics for Discussion

• The Atlantic Charter and Self-Determination
• The Independence of India and Pakistan
• The Malayan Emergency
• The Suez Crisis
• The Windrush Generation
• The Mau Mau Uprising
• Decolonization in Africa (1950s–1960s)
• The Transformation into the Commonwealth
• The Falklands War
• The Transfer of Hong Kong