How Britain’s Colonial Policies Now Subjugate Its Own Citizens

In the Spring Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced welfare cuts totalling £3.4 billion by 2029-30, primarily affecting sick and disabled benefit claimants. These reductions are projected to push around 250,000 people into relative poverty. (Financial Times)

At the same time, defence spending is set to rise by £6.4 billion by 2027, funded by cuts to overseas aid. While the government frames these choices as necessary for economic stability and national security, they echo a familiar pattern: one where the state prioritises military expansion while reducing support for the poorest.

The irony is stark. Britain, once the architect of colonial austerity that kept vast populations in economic servitude, is now imposing similar conditions on its own citizens. Policies once used to extract wealth from colonies—forcing them into economic hardship while prioritising military dominance—are now being implemented at home.

Austerity as a Colonial Tool: The Empire Strikes Back

Austerity measures disproportionately harm the poorest and most vulnerable in society. Historically, Britain used similar strategies to weaken colonised nations, ensuring resources were directed towards imperial interests rather than the well-being of local populations.

During colonial rule, economic policies imposed by Britain deliberately restricted development in occupied territories. High taxes, reduced welfare provisions, and economic restructuring kept colonies dependent while channelling wealth back to Britain. Today, these same tactics are being used against British citizens.

The British Public Now Faces the Austerity Once Imposed on Colonies

• Declining Public Services: Successive governments have cut public services in the name of fiscal responsibility. The NHS is underfunded, with waiting lists at record highs, mirroring how colonial administrations underfunded healthcare in India and Africa to prioritise military budgets.
• Food and Energy Poverty: Just as colonial subjects suffered from high taxation on basic goods, British citizens today face soaring costs for essentials. Food banks are now a permanent fixture, and energy bills have doubled for millions, forcing families to choose between heating and eating.
• Housing Crisis: Britain’s housing shortage is reaching crisis levels. Rent increases and a lack of affordable housing echo how colonial policies kept local populations in economic limbo—unable to own property, dependent on landlords, and at the mercy of fluctuating markets.
• Harsh Welfare Cuts: Welfare reductions disproportionately target sick and disabled individuals, much like colonial-era policies that neglected the most vulnerable to maintain economic dominance. The British government’s argument that welfare is “unsustainable” mirrors rhetoric used in post-colonial states when external financial institutions like the IMF dictated economic policy.

Austerity in Former Colonies: A Cautionary Tale

Britain’s austerity drive follows a pattern seen in its former colonies, where economic hardship was imposed to benefit the ruling elite. Today, Britain is experiencing the same consequences.

• Pakistan and IMF Austerity: In 2023, Pakistan was forced to slash energy subsidies, increase taxes, and cut public spending to secure an IMF bailout. The result? Skyrocketing inflation, fuel shortages, and a struggling working class. Similarly, Britain’s energy crisis and tax burdens are making life unaffordable for millions.
• Ghana and Kenya’s Structural Adjustment Programmes: In the 1980s and 1990s, these nations were subjected to IMF-backed austerity, which slashed public spending and privatised state assets. Public services crumbled, and poverty worsened. The UK’s own mass privatisation of rail, water, and energy has led to skyrocketing costs, while public ownership has been eroded.
• Ireland in the 19th Century: Even within the British Isles, Ireland suffered from policies that prioritised imperial economic goals over local welfare. During the Great Famine, grain exports continued to Britain while the Irish starved. Today, Britain’s government prioritises corporate tax breaks and military spending while cutting benefits for struggling families.

The Working Class Pays the Price for Britain’s Past and Present Policies

The legacy of Britain’s colonial economic model—where the rich prosper while the poor suffer—is now fully entrenched within its own borders. The UK government claims austerity is essential for economic stability, but ordinary people are paying the price:

• Workers Struggling to Get By: Wages have stagnated, while inflation has eroded spending power. Public sector workers, including nurses and teachers, are striking because their pay no longer covers basic living costs.
• Rising Homelessness: The number of rough sleepers in England has increased significantly, mirroring colonial-era displacement, where local populations were driven from their homes to make way for economic “progress.”
• Record Levels of Child Poverty: According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, child poverty in the UK is at its highest level in decades, recalling how colonial subjects were systematically denied access to adequate nutrition and education.

The Cycle of Extraction: From the Colonies to the British People

During the height of its empire, Britain extracted wealth from India, Africa, and the Caribbean, keeping local populations in cycles of poverty. Now, a similar cycle exists within Britain itself. The government extracts wealth from the poorest citizens through austerity measures, funnelling resources towards corporate subsidies and military expansion.

This is not simply economic mismanagement—it is a continuation of a deeply entrenched system that prioritises power and wealth over people’s well-being. The British working class now finds itself in the same position as colonial subjects: exploited, impoverished, and forced to endure hardship to sustain an economic system that does not serve them.

The Muslim’s vision

Given the reality of Britain’s past actions and its current treatment of its own citizens, it is high time that Muslims stop paying homage to a system that has repeatedly turned its back on its people. The Islamic system, with its proven track record of providing for the basic needs of its citizens, offers a far better alternative—one that is not caught between welfare and warfare. Take the Ottoman Empire as an example: during its reign, the Ottoman state was known for its strong social welfare system, ensuring that the poor were supported, the sick were cared for, and justice was upheld, even when the empire faced external threats.

Now, it is time for Muslims to rise and present the Islamic system as a genuine alternative for mankind. Rather than clinging to a recycled, broken system that continuously betrays its own subjects, we must embrace and advocate for a system that nurtures and protects the well-being of all its people. The Islamic vision is one of true justice, compassion, and prosperity for everyone—not just a select few. Let us stand firm, be proud of our heritage, and inspire the world with the strength of the Islamic way forward.