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Quote by Peter Hitchens

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The Abolition of Britain: From Winston Churchill to Princess Diana

This book examines the transformation of Britain from its peak under Winston Churchill to the modern era, focusing on the reigns of various monarchs and the societal changes that marked the end of the British Empire. more

Author

Peter Hitchens
Peter Hitchens

Peter Hitchens is a British journalist born on October 28, 1951. He is known for his in-depth analysis and commentary on political and social issues. more

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“The whole concatenation of wild and artificial things, the natural ecosystem as modified by people over the centuries, the build environment layered over layers, the eerie mix of sounds and smells and glimpses neither natural nor crafted- all of it is free for the taking, for the taking in. Take it, take it in, take in more every weekend, every day, and quickly it becomes the theater that intrigues, relaxes, fascinates, seduces, and above all expands any mind focused on it. Outside lies utterly ordinary space open to any casual explorer willing to find the extraordinary. Outside lies unprogrammed awareness that at times becomes directed serendipity. Outside lies magic.”

“France and Germany, long jealous of the king's lucrative rubber profits, had their eye on pieces of Congo territory. President Roosevelt hinted that he was willing to join Britain in convening an international conference to discuss the Congo’s fate. Three times the British and American ministers in Brussels went, together, to see the Belgian minister of foreign affairs and press for Belgian annexation. But sharply limited as Leopold II’s powers were in Belgium itself, the worried Belgian government had no legal authority over him in his role as ruler of the Congo. In the end, the king held the key cards, and he knew it.”

“How come Hitler is a bigger villain than the British monarchy, when Hitler invaded only 11 countries, while the British empire invaded 90 percent of the globe, that is, over 170 countries, and caused multiple times the massacre than the Nazis did!”

“I propose that an area of no more than 300 square miles, centered roughly upon Henley-on-Thames, has made this quintessentially British town Britain's 'small town and village murder capital'.”

“You vilify Hitler yet glorify Buckingham Palace, when the atrocities of the palace far outweigh the atrocities of Hitler. If Adolf Hitler was a manifestation of the worst of human nature, so was, and still greatly is, Britain, that is, the monarchy and its loyal, spineless subjects.”

“Ironically Britain claimed the whole continent simply in order to claim a few isolated harbours astride trade routes. It was like a speculator who, buying a huge wasteland flanking a highway because it had a few fine sites for road cafes and filling stations, found later that much of the land was fertile and productive.”