The British Empire Moves into the 20th Century [audio 15min]

"Empire" 73rd of 90: The Empire expanded until the 1920s with the inclusion of League of Nations mandated territories. But it had reached the height of its political, military and to an extent, its financial powers two decades earlier. From the forty years or so before and up to the First World War, more than 5 percent of the whole of Britain's Gross National Product was in overseas lending. By the start of WWI, that same rate of investment was declining. During that period (1880s to 1912-14) Britain was feeling as never before the commercial and political changes in the world. "This Sceptred Isle: Empire" is a narrative history of the British Empire from Ireland in the 12th century to the independence of India in the 20th, told in 90 programmes written by historian Christopher Lee and narrated by actor Juliet Stevenson. ~Visit website to listen again to 5 most recent episodes, plus interactive maps and timeline, biographical dictionary, image galleries, quizzes, sources, resources, listeners' comments.