British colonialists framed empire as a burden borne for Europe’s sake

Evidence

It scarcely seemed to matter that Britain caused such loss to the Europeans for whom it claimed to be acting in self-defence. ‘The patience … of the British public was exhausted’, we are told, and ‘something effectual’ had to be done. — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 409 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Since there is a real British presence in Egypt, and since that presence—according to Cromer—is there not so much to train the Egyptian’s mind as to “form his character,” it follows therefore that the ephemeral attractions of the French are those of a pretty damsel with “somewhat artificial charms,” whereas those of the British belong to “a sober, elderly matron of perhaps somewhat greater moral worth, but of less pleasing outward appearance.” — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 527 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Britain’s colonial self-defense claims caused losses to the very Europeans it protected — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 409; The British framed colonial rule as character formation rather than mere training — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 527

Broader Connections

• Britain’s colonial self-defense claims caused losses to the very Europeans it protected #corroborates (0.85) — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 409
• The British framed colonial rule as character formation rather than mere training #complicates (0.75) — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 527