The British Empire entered the 20th century as the first hyperpower since perhaps the heyday of the Mongols. After 2 global conflicts, the once mighty empire seemed on the verge of being relegated to the British Isles. It is true that, in terms of relative power, the Empire was significantly reduced in the first half of the 20th century. However, the British still saw enormous progress over the half-century. Politically, the monarchy was preserved as national politics shifted to the left in response to economic trends. Technology has fueled a cultural renaissance that has had a huge impact on everyday life. Finally, the new post-World War II international order led to the British Empire losing many of its valuable possessions. In 1936, King Edward VIII took over the reign of the British Empire after the death of his father, George V. A dashing naval officer who eschewed tradition, Edward angered bureaucrats by making politically charged statements, particularly regarding the issue of unemployment caused by global depression. His political commentary would not prove to be his undoing, that role was filled by a woman named Wallis Simpson. Although they were a married woman, Simpson and Edward fell in love, and Edward planned to marry her after getting a divorce. Of course, this was a morally untenable position at the time and Edward had no choice but to abdicate in 1936 itself. The very continuity of the secular monarchy was threatened as both the public and the political elite harbored negative feelings towards the institutions. King George VI replaced Edward and realized it was best to leave the government to rule. When Britain became involved in the Second World War, George simply made strong pleas to support the cause rather than wait… middle of paper… first 90 years. (Today Sinn Fein is a non-violent political party, but in Orwell's time it was also a violent terrorist group.) Abroad, the British lost the "crown jewel" of the empire, India, in 1947. During World War II, to receive crucial Indian support and prevent an insurrection that would have drained resources from the fight to save the British homeland, the British promised India's independence to the Indian National Congress. The INC was the political party of Gandhi and Nehru and could have thwarted British efforts to use India in the war effort if they had not been appeased. Furthermore, as the United States established itself as a superpower in its own right, the British were hampered in international affairs. For example, the United States used debt leverage on Great Britain to prevent a conflict over the Suez Canal, limiting the smaller half of the special relationship.