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-- more than a third of the world GDP

When the British took over India it was 31% of global GDP. When they left India's share of global GDP was 2%.

I was referring to the Empire’s share of world GDP. What you say is interesting, and conveys one of my two points: that even great powers can fall.

Yep, I got your original point. I heard the GDP figures I mentioned on an economics podcast last week and had to shoehorn them in ;-)