I was recently given a copy of Gavin Esler\u2019s book \u201cHow Britain Ends\u201d and have thoroughly enjoyed having another perspective on the politics of these Islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large part of his book is devoted to exploring the rise and nature of English Nationalism. Its roots, attitudes and contrasts with the nationalisms of Scotland, Wales and Ireland (north and to a degree South).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He traces what is referred to as \u201cnostalgic pessimism\u201d as a root of English resentment at the loss of some Golden Age through the centuries. In the words attributed to John of Gaunt in Shakespeare\u2019s Richard 11 the most widely known part being the opening lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis royal throne of kings, this scepter\u2019d isle,<\/em> Less well known is the closing lines;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith inky blots and rotten parchment bonds: Two things stand out about this piece of essential English patriotism, one is that, as the name suggests, John was in fact an immigrant. Secondly, he died in 1399! (see the link below)\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet Shakespeare writing in 1592 \u2013 94 uses exactly the same themes 200 years on as England began to face the succession crisis as Elizabeth 1 (the virgin queen) was going to leave no successor. What I find fascinating is that John\u2019s England had only been a recognisable unit for perhaps a couple of centuries yet already the nostalgia for some past Golden Age was in full flow. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a recurring theme which runs through English politics and culture to this day and is perhaps at the root of so many of the problems, the inability to let the past be past, to learn from it rather than try to recreate it. This nostalgia for some undefined but always golden age was just as prevalent in the 2016 Brexit campaign as it is in the resulting shambles. This inability to face up to the loss of an Empire and find a positive role in the 21st<\/sup> century lies at the heart of the ugly face of English Nationalism which drives the Labour, Liberal Democrat as well as Tory Parties further and further to the right. They want to go back to some unknown time when everything was better but don\u2019t know how, when or why.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n England, which has been one of the great powerhouses of literature, culture, social and industrial development has become scared of its own shadow.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Driven by a media which is incapable of sensible, rational analysis.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This longing for some past era is sadly coupled with, perhaps even the cause of, a pessimism which sees the future as a threat rather than a promise. Where the nationalisms of the Celtic countries look at how we can improve and advance, English nationalism sees threats and shadows. Sadly it seems to be rooted in a blood and soil culture xenophobia which is perhaps typified best by the incessant worrying about immigration and colour. Fearmongering by a right wing media seemingly bent on creating division which can be exploited by unscrupulous owners and their tame politicians. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n England\u2019s media rarely sees a positive, tending instead to look for someone or something which is always trying to do them down. Mix it with the unfailing arrogance of the current crop of \u201cleaders\u201d and you have the insanity of \u201cGlobal Britain\u201d which \u201cholds all the cards\u201d and will \u201chave its cake and eat it\u201d coming face to face with ministers who can\u2019t make the time to read their brief because they are busy on Christmas stalls and whine when their opposite numbers have not only read but understood the treaties. As the old clich\u00e9 goes \u201cFailing to prepare is the same as preparing to fail\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cEngland, that was wont to conquer others\u201d links directly to today\u2019s \u201cGod who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet\u201d of Land of Hope and Glory. England it seems cannot and will not be satisfied.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0<\/em>(<\/strong>This England \u2013 John of Gaunt\u2019s Famous Speech in Shakespeare\u2019s Richard II \u2013 Facts and Stories (freedomfactsandstories.com)<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I was recently given a copy of Gavin Esler\u2019s book \u201cHow Britain Ends\u201d and have thoroughly enjoyed having another perspective on the politics of these Islands. A large part of his book is devoted to exploring the rise and nature of English Nationalism. Its roots, attitudes and contrasts with the nationalisms of Scotland, Wales and Ireland (north and to a degree South).\u00a0 He traces what is referred to as \u201cnostalgic pessimism\u201d as a root of English resentment at the loss of some Golden Age through the centuries. In the words attributed to John of Gaunt in Shakespeare\u2019s Richard 11 the most widely known part being theRead More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[132],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3109"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3109"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3110,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3109\/revisions\/3110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
That England, that was wont to conquer others,
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.
Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life,
How happy then were my ensuing death!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n