Gary Younge rightly states that the country`s cluelessness "about the future" results from a distorted view of our history (The delusions of war and empire that led to Brexit, 03/02/18). The refusal to study the past in any detail, allied to successive governments` insistence on manipulating our history by hiding away vital evidence in Hanslope Park, results in arrogant delusion, the ensuing feeble attempts to punch above our weight in the Brexit negotiations, and the inevitable and humiliating climbdowns. Exaggerating differences with our neighbours, and pretending to own what Martin Kettle recently called a "tradition of exceptionalism", has led to the ridiculous and parlous situation in which the country now finds itself (Protestantism is on the wane, yet the Reformation sowed the seeds of Brexit, 27/10/17). The deliberately misremembered historical chickens have most certainly come home to roost.
It is noticeable that the countries, like Germany, which have faced up to their difficult pasts, appear more aware of the need for unity in Europe. Only when the truth about the UK`s colonial past is revealed, when the facts about our seizing and looting of colonies, whilst committing the most awful of atrocities, and our reliance on essential colonial aid to emerge successfully from world wars, are all openly admitted, can the people and government of this country ever hope to have a non-distorted view of the future. The idea that our isolation in the past was "splendid" is part of the historical mythology driving current government policy.
No comments:
Post a Comment