Why didn't Britain move to resource-rich North America to gain greater development potential?

This is really a brain-opening problem. In the era of great navigation, especially since the industrial revolution, western countries have become the center of the world. Divided Europe, with a total area similar to that of China, almost included most of the world in the scope of colonization. Britain, which has long occupied the position of the largest country in the world, is undoubtedly the largest colonial country. At that time, British colonies all over the world made Britain's sunset empire worthy of the name. Britain has occupied more than 30 million square kilometers of colonies for a long time.

An empire with colonies all over the world.

France ranks second, with a colony of 6.5438+0.2 million square kilometers. Germany, a rising star, also has vast colonies in Africa. Even small European countries, such as Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands, have colonies several times or even dozens of times the local area.

As we all know, the fundamental development of a country or a nation is non-renewable resources? Land, therefore, the land area of a country determines the potential and upper limit of a country's development. Britain, with a colony of more than 30 million square kilometers, almost covered the best land in the world at that time, making Britain the first power in the world.

But Britain is not invulnerable. It also has a hidden worry, that is, Britain's too narrow land area and population. For the British mainland, the British Isles in Europe are not only not rich in resources, but also a small island with an area of only 240,000 square kilometers, which almost directly determines the upper limit of Britain's development. Then, why didn't Britain directly move all its citizens to colonies with richer resources and broader environment? For example, North America is dominated by British immigrants.

North America

North America, which is composed of Canada, the second largest country in the world, and the United States, the fourth largest country in the world, can be described as a veritable natural place. Its vast territory, fertile land and abundant natural resources give Canada and the United States unparalleled development potential, and also promote North America to become the richest and most developed region today.

On the contrary, Britain, which lost most of its colonies after World War II, can only return to the British Isles. Although Britain is still one of the top countries in the world, it is far from reaching its peak, and it is even more difficult to compare with the United States, the only superpower today.

Why didn't the British want to move the whole continent to North America with great potential and richer resources for hundreds of years? The British are not without this idea. Churchill issued it at the most critical moment of World War II? Even if the British government moves to Canada, it will continue to resist Nazi Germany? These words. Of course, the fact is that from beginning to end, the British government never moved out of the British Isles because the Germans could not break through the British Isles. Why?

Today's map of Britain

First and foremost, it is due to the native land and deep-rooted sense of superiority of the British. People in China will have to leave their motherland, which is not just their feelings. For most countries and nations, it is the same, and the British are no exception.

Although from the era of great navigation, adventurous Britons have set off immigration movements all over the world, this does not mean that the British do not like to return to their motherland. In fact, many British people do this? If you don't return to your hometown with wealth, it's like a night trip. This idea.

British immigrants and colonists are mostly poor farmers who can't survive at home. When these people make a fortune in the colonies, many people will choose to return to England. Obviously, for the British, their homeland is the root of their dreams.

Australia, the former exile of Britain.

The same is true of poor people who emigrate overseas. Therefore, even if the British government is broad-minded and decides to move all its citizens to North America or other colonies, I believe it is beyond the understanding of most British people, especially those who are well-off, and will certainly meet with fierce opposition.

Second, the British didn't expect that their huge colony would be completely separated one day. After hundreds of years of operation, Britain has established a colonial system all over the world. These huge colonies with an area of more than 30 million square kilometers and a population of more than 400 million have also brought countless wealth to the British.

In fact, for the British, it doesn't matter where the ruling center is or where the mainland is. What is important is that the British have always maintained a huge naval fleet that can suppress the absolute superiority of the world.

The British fleet during World War I

Since the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Britain has become the world's first naval power with great advantages. This British naval fleet, which can be called an invincible fleet, is also the basis for Britain to maintain the world's number one power and become the largest colonial country.

Therefore, for hundreds of years, the British did not feel that North America or other larger colonies were superior to the mainland, nor did they feel that it was inconvenient for Europe to maintain a huge colonial system. As long as they maintain the powerful naval power of the world's first fleet at home, they can control all the colonies at home, and the British don't need to move to North America at all. It's just that the British never imagined that the development of science and technology was so rapid, and the artillery giant ship that the British relied on to dominate the world was so outdated.

Third, even if the British really have such an idea and decide to put it into action, it is difficult to really do it. British colonial rule in North America can be roughly divided into two stages. At the beginning, the British only took most of North America from Spain and France, and the territory was full of Indian tribes, which didn't develop much at all.

North America

At this time, although it is the easiest for Britain to immigrate to the North American continent, it is obvious that a wild North America without an industrial base is not suitable for the British at all. At this time, there is no difference between migration and exile, and the British naturally will not do so.

However, after the development of North America, the situation in North America has become more and more complicated. Before the independence of the United States, North America had a good industrial and economic foundation. At the same time, the European immigrants in North America are not only British, but also German, Italian, French and other European descendants.

If the British decide to immigrate to North America, these people will inevitably become different, so the opposition of these non-British immigrants will become inevitable. Even the descendants of the British have become vested interests in North America because they have occupied huge interests after several generations of reproduction. The descendants of these British people may not be willing to relocate tens of millions of local people.

American war of independence against British rule

Because, once tens of millions of natives migrate, they will inevitably occupy a dominant position, and British immigrants and their descendants who have made great contributions and sacrifices to the development of North America will be marginalized, and it is inevitable that their interests will be occupied. These people, together with immigrants from other countries, oppose British immigrants and become a high probability event. In order to emigrate from the mainland, fighting a protracted war with former colonial immigrants is naturally a loss-making business, and it is naturally impossible for smart British people to do so.

When the whole world is being intimidated, the British who are strong enough don't need to move their homeland to other places at all. When Britain declined, most of the colonies, including North America, became independent or broke away from British control. The British wanted to move, and there was no chance. Finally, the British finally returned to their native land, and the former empire plummeted and became a thing of the past.