Updating Our Island Story
1:54pm
John Lloyd has a typically thoughtful op-ed in the FT today about how we should teach history in schools and how we can create a sense of nationhood that fits this post-devolution, multi-ethnic country. Lloyd argues that the problem with Gordon Brown’s belief that an emphasis on liberty, equity and democracy can unite the country is that they are universal ideals not solely British ones.
Lloyd suggests that the way these values could tie the country together is if they are rooted in a sense history. To that end, he thinks we need a new version of the kind of popular, narrative history embodied by Our Island Story. He says that it should start something like this, “Once upon a time, people yearned to breathe free. This is the story of how hard it is to make that happen, and how we on this island have tried...”
Now, this is a little too American-sounding to be distinctively British. (Indeed, what makes it so hard to come up with an authentically British sounding set of national values is that the Yanks have already nabbed most of the best lines.) But Lloyd is definitely onto something. Do leave your suggestions for improving on his opening lines in the comments.
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John Whitworth
August 21st, 2007 2:49pm Report this commentI thought what made British History so exciting and satisfying was the way we went round whacking everybody else. That's what I liked anyway. Send her victorious, happy and glorious, don't you know. Of course we whacked them for their own good. I suppose you could get that in somehow. That freedom stuff you quote is horribly unenglish to my ear.
David Boothroyd
August 21st, 2007 5:14pm Report this commentThe one thing about British nationhood which is absolutely distinctive (certainly among nations of our size) is that we have had continuous evolving government without successful revolution. Even major events and changes in British history can be seen in the context of being evolutionary developments of something that had gone before. The one time we did tear up our system of running things and start again, it all collapsed after 11 years and we went back to the old ways "as sadder and wiser men" as they say. Look at every other country and they have had revolutions, occupations, liberations, secessions, etc. I like the fact that I can compile a list (eg) of "Members of Parliament for Salisbury" which begins in 1295 and goes up to the present day. Try the equivalent for other countries and it would have gaps and would have to be restarted.
Cogito Ergosum
August 21st, 2007 5:45pm Report this comment"For we are the people of England, that never have spoken yet." Though I think they murmured briefly in 1945, but then things got back to normal.
Lee Jakeman
August 21st, 2007 10:17pm Report this commentWe the English, who bequeathed to the Americans the things they value most.
molesworth 1
August 22nd, 2007 8:56am Report this comment“Once upon a time, people yearned to breathe free. This is the story of how hard it is to make that happen, and how we on this island have tried...” "..,since our arrival, to quell these troublesome natives, push them to the western coastal-fringes & plunder their mineral wealth, sheep & women-folk" this method has served as a tried & tested blueprint for successful nation-building ever since...
cuffleyburgers
August 22nd, 2007 11:13am Report this commentDear Molesworth Plse don't forget that the celts themselves were also immigrants. On a serious note whilst the value of a uniting history is undeniable, actually writing one and then teaching it is plagued with difficulty. And letting someone like Gordon Brown anywhere near it would be a recipe for further incompetence
Prodicus
August 22nd, 2007 1:07pm Report this commentThe sainted Scruton wrote a whole book about nationhood being essentially tied to *a place and its history*. John Lloyd must have read it recently. Refreshing to see someone - anyone - complaining that Broon's mendacious Britishness campaign is not about Britishness at all - it's about the sort of decency one can find anywhere if one looks for it. Being Old Labour and therefore a spiritual member of the Socialist Internationale, Gordon Brown will never, ever, associate himself with his (our) country qua country. Britain is an administrative area, nothing more. I wonder what he makes of Billy Bragg's form of socialist patriotism?
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