Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It is no accident that Hong Kong protesters have been observed unfurling U.S. flags, and that Patrick Henry's quote "give me liberty or give me death" has appeared as graffiti there. There are numerous parallels in the two cases.
That is because the CIA is sending in the agents provocateurs to p*ss China off. So you are correct; it isn't an accident.
The US War of Indepence or Revolutionary War, was mainly about representation, indeed Americans enjoyed very good tax rates and trade....
It is true that the American colonies had favorable tax policy, but not trade policy. One thing that miffed Benjamin Franklin early on was a ban on iron forging facilities. The Brits wanted the US to import British-made products. The reason for the Boston Tea Party, where they boarded a merchant ship and threw cases of tea into the harbor, was trade policy. Tea was important to the colonists because their water was often undrinkable. By boiling it and drinking it as tea they could survive. The Brits wanted to limit them to Brit-sourced tea.
Ben Franklin for a long time thought that these things could be negotiated and ironed out, so that the colonies could remain in the Brit fold. After a trip to England in 1774, and talking with hard-liners there, he began to change his mind. It was only then that he began to push for democratization.
This also is a parallel to Hong Kong. As time marches on they have realized that only democratization and self-determination can save them.
They need a Ben Franklin schmoozing and womanizing his way into the elite of a competing superpower to get real military support for a revolution.
This is actually yet another parallel. Both the American colonies and Hong Kong are dealing with a largely indifferent world. The Americans got some help from the French, but probably mostly because the French were at odds with the British. Appeals for help from the Dutch by John Adams were unsuccessful.
The Hong Kongers thus far have gotten mostly sympathetic glances at best. When hundreds of thousands turn out for protests in Hong Kong, it might be expected that crowds of a few hundred might rally in sympathy in the US, but thus far I have not seen that happen.
Another difference is that, to me, the Hong Kongers seem much more united and determined than the American colonists ever were. John Adams estimated that only about a third of colonists favored independence. He said that one third were opposed, and one third were indifferent.
In Hong Kong they have been able to turn out protesters in the millions by some estimates, in a city of 7 million population. They can be seen singing the Hong Kong national anthem, knowing that the Chinese intel people are probably running facial recognition scans on all of them and storing the info away.
Status:
"“If a thing loves, it is infinite.”"
(set 3 days ago)
Location: Great Britain
27,181 posts, read 13,469,799 times
Reputation: 19501
Quote:
Originally Posted by travis t
It is true that the American colonies had favorable tax policy, but not trade policy. One thing that miffed Benjamin Franklin early on was a ban on iron forging facilities. The Brits wanted the US to import British-made products. The reason for the Boston Tea Party, where they boarded a merchant ship and threw cases of tea into the harbor, was trade policy. Tea was important to the colonists because their water was often undrinkable. By boiling it and drinking it as tea they could survive. The Brits wanted to limit them to Brit-sourced tea.
Ben Franklin for a long time thought that these things could be negotiated and ironed out, so that the colonies could remain in the Brit fold. After a trip to England in 1774, and talking with hard-liners there, he began to change his mind. It was only then that he began to push for democratization.
This also is a parallel to Hong Kong. As time marches on they have realized that only democratization and self-determination can save them.
The Iron Act of 1750 was short lived and most of it was repealed over the next decade, whilst enforcement was poor because no one had any significant incentive to ensure compliance. The whole Act was then repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1867, due to the replacement of colonial rule with the Dominion of Canada.
So by the time of the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773), the Iron Act was no longer an issue, and the US had better tax rates than those in Britain.
The Iron Act of 1750 was short lived and most of it was repealed over the next decade, whilst enforcement was poor because no one had any significant incentive to ensure compliance. The whole Act was then repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1867, due to the replacement of colonial rule with the Dominion of Canada.
So by the time of the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773), the Iron Act was no longer an issue, and the US had better tax rates than those in Britain.
Yes, the Stamp Act was also repealed by Britain in 1765, as I pointed out in post #1. And the Hong Kong extradition act was withdrawn in October 2019. But the debate in both cases had already morphed into questions of democracy and liberty, or 'representation' as you put it. Thus these are parallels, not differences.
Status:
"“If a thing loves, it is infinite.”"
(set 3 days ago)
Location: Great Britain
27,181 posts, read 13,469,799 times
Reputation: 19501
Quote:
Originally Posted by travis t
Yes, the Stamp Act was also repealed by Britain in 1765, as I pointed out in post #1. And the Hong Kong extradition act was withdrawn in October 2019. But the debate in both cases had already morphed into questions of democracy and liberty, or 'representation' as you put it. Thus these are parallels, not differences.
Some of the truths about the war of independence can be found here.
In terms of the UK as easthome pointed out, it's looked on as a mere side note in history, when compared to this much bigger camapign against Napoleon's France, which Britain and her allies later won.
In truth the population was divided in opinion, and there were a lot of myths that have worked their way in to US history.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
