Should Britian be proud or ashamed of its history?

Question: Should Britian be proud or ashamed of its history!?

and whyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Every country at some point in their History has done something that today, they would not be proud of!.

Most people who have argued that Britain should be ashamed of its History, are not looking at this question objectively or with any form of empathy!. For instance, in any countries History they have done things which at the time, seemed perfectly reasonable, but as times change and ideas and opinions with it, what may have been seen as perfectly fine 500 years ago, is today, seen as terrible!.

The British are often blamed for the slave trade!. Wait a minute, didn;t the Romans have slaves!? Hmm, what about the Greeks or Egyptians, did they have slaves!? Ahh, but wait just one minute, the Romans never moved slaves from one country, like North Africa, to another, lets say Italy!? Oh wait they did!. The slave trade of the 18th century was a terrible thing!. But many European countries were involved in the slave trade, not only Britain!. So if Britain is to be ashamed of its history for the trade, then by definition other countries have to share the guilt!. Furthermore, it was African tribes that supplied the slave labour!. They rounded up weaker tribes, and sold them to European powers!. This part os often overlooked!. Are they guilty then!? Ofcourse they are!.

Hmm, lets just remind ourselves, which country was the first to make the slave trade illegal, and start to police slave ships!? Britain!. So at the very least this is something Britain should be proud of!. Whilst we banned slaves, other countries were still using them, and running a slave trade business!.

Lets now, take the British Empire!. Did Britain subjugate territory!? Yes!. Did they put the right of those persons in the conquered territories below their own interests!? Yes!. Guess what, many European Nations as well as the US were colonial powers, that did exactly the same as Britain!. Just because the US did not take over parts of Africa does not mean they were not a colonial power!. The US took over the Phillipines and Cuba to name but two!. Did Britain at some time in its History, kill off tribes by giving them blankets which were loaded with small pox!? Probably!. But didn't the US do this with the Native Americans!? What about Belgium brutality in Africa in the 19th century!. Or the Germans in Namibia where they comitted a genocide largely unheard off!.

Ok, so what did Britain do that was good!? First off, the Industrial revolution that transformed the world in the 18th Century started in Britain!. Secondly, Britain was the only country after the fall of France in 1940 that stood against Nazi Germany!. Where as all the other countries turned their cheeks, Britain stood against Germany!. The Soviet Union and the US only joining the war, when they were attacked!. What about the First World War!? Again, Britain stood against militaristic Germany!. In fact, during the British Empire period, Britain often tried to maintain a balance of power in Europe to maintain peace!. She did this by allying against the single strongest power in Europe!. To keep the bully boys like Napoleonic France, and then Germany (twice) in check!.

If your going to argue and judge Britain as an evil country with a History to be ashamed off, take into consideration, what other countries have done!.

Germany - The Holocaust, and responsible for starting two world wars, resulting in the deaths of 65,000,000 people!.

The US - In a country where every man is created equal, and freedom of speech, this does not go for Blacks or Native Americans!. The Indians were killed off by any means possible, and their way of life destroyed!.

Russia/Soviet Union - Responsible for the murder of "undesirbale" peoples in its borders, as well as the enslavement of weak countries close by!.

Roman Empire - An Empire run by slave labour!. Conquered outlaying territories, and those in its way were crushed!. Often portrayed its enemies as barbarians, so they could slaughter entire tribes for no other reason!.

Japan - Atrocities in China during the 15 Year War (WW2)!. Many still dont accept responsibility for these actions, including the treatment of pows and comfort women!.

Turkey - Armenian Genocide!.

I could do on and on!.

Lastly but not least!. When Britain gave up its Empire, it created the Commonwealth, so that relations between past colonies could be progressive!. It is for this very reason, that many other nations that had colonies, have extremely bad relations with these countries!. Such as Portugal in Angola!. Yes, the British may have done some evil deeds, but then so has every country!. If your going to ignore World History and just blame Britain for everything, then i suggest you look at your own country, and check out some of the evil deeds they have done!.

Should Britain be proud of its History!? Of course, and for that person who suggested Britain does not teach History in class rooms which it is not proud of, you dont know what your talking about!. The Slave trade is a common topic for all British schools!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Proud - it was a golden age just as the Roman Empire was - nations were better for it !. There was brutaliy as we all know and that was bad but not to be ashamed of!. When the Romans conquered britain they slayed 40 000 Britains as an example after an uprising - yet I see all of the benefits the Romans left and Britain would have been so far behind in development had the Romans or Normans ( who later conquered her ) had they not come!. It was a golden age and we see the people of many former commonwealth nations today at the forefront in development - manufacturing - technologyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Neither or both!.

You could feel proud that we, for our time, were slightly more civilised than our competition!.
You could feel proud that generally those countries with a British colonial history are better off today than those with someone else's colonial history!.
You can feel proud that in the words of one 'native', "Britain acts like a benevolent parent of slightly naughty children"!. He meant it as an insult!.

But then there was the South African concentration camps, the beginnings of the slave trade, the fact that our descendants went on to commit genocide in America and Australia, and enslaved Rhodesia and South Africa!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't know; I used to be proud of America's history until I learned that most of the good things are just lies and rhetoric!. More likely than not, the terrible things any government does are far more numerous than the benevolent things!. There are many things to be proud of, so I'd just focus on those!. I choose to focus on the glory of the US Constitution even though it's an idealistic fantasy that doesn't even resemble our fascist form of government!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't think this is a question you can answer either way!. Like all countries in this world we have had moments to be proud and moments to be be ashamed of!. We persecuted the Jews in the 13th and 14th centuries, so has Russia and Germany in the more recent centuries, we were involved in the Slave trade just like the Italians were in the Roman period, or the Dutch in the 17th/18th century like us!. Most of Europe and America persecuted 'witches' and even today some more remote socieites probably will kill anyone they suspect of witchery!.

At the same time we've had some fantastic achievements such as the the steam engine and the jet engine etc!. We've had some fantastic artists like John Constable and what about the innovations of Josiah Wedgewood!? I wouldn't say we've nicked other people's history as we have our own but in terms of scientific and artistic achievement, like anyone we have improved what came before!.

Yet everyone else is allowed to be proud of their heritage, so why can't we!? I'm not saying gloss over the bad parts or celebrate them, but be open about them!. Be proud that we have a past but use it to learn from so that we don't repeat our mistakes!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

ashamed for the most part, however british schools dont teach these parts of history!. Britain raped many countries in its time and destroyed many cultures!.
Ireland is the only nation to reject the british in every generation and defeat the british empire to win its freedom (republic of ireland) thats why the irish generally dislike the english!.!.!.!.
the saying goes!.!.!.'The problem between the irish and the english is; the irish never forget their history and the english never learn it'Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hi Adam!.
No country should ever be ashamed of its history!.
History is what binds us together as a people!.
Our forefathers at the time believed in what they were doing, and why!.
We make history every day!. To be ashamed of ones Historyis to deny all those great people who died to give us a better life!. I believe Cicero was correct when he said:
"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity!."
I am Irish and am so proud of all our History!. Good and bad,it is, what made us who we are!.
Adam, I hope this answers your question!.
Good luck my friend,
Cathorio!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's a history that has both good and a bad !.It became an economic power house on the back of an empire !.and it's history with Ireland is hardly proud (think potato famine,attitude to tenant farmers ) on the other hand it's never had a military or autocratic government and has stood up to those that have tried to force there will on Europe despite not being at risk themselves!.(Napoleon,Crimea, Germany twice)
Our history is NOT hidden despite what some on here say nor have we raped another nation !.Rape is a hideous crime and the term should not be used for any other reason than what it was intended for as it desensitises peoples attitude to the crimeWww@QuestionHome@Com

Mostly proud!. No people on Earth have a longer history of helping other nations at there own expense!. You have your bad points if you go back very far!. I would tend to focus on what you did in the last century!. You set a very high standard for treating people fairly and conducting yourselves honorably!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They should be proud about the good that they have done, and feel sad about the bad!. You cant separate the 2!. I live in South Africa and Brit had a huge impact on our development for the better!. They really helped a lot of countries to start going, although it was sometimes with an hidden agenda!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm British but should I be proud or ashamed of what my country has done in the past!? It doesn't make any difference how I feel about it because the past is the past!.

We can learn from the past and ensure we don't make the same mistakes again, but we can't change it, so feeling proud or ashamed is a waste of time because it isn't going to get you anywhere!.

People were different back then, they did things that people now wouldn't dream of doing, and people now do things that our ancestors wouldn't have dreamt of doing!. I'm sure that 200 or 300 years from now, our descendants will be thinking the same about us!.

So it is quite bizarre to think that the modern people of a country need to feel anything about it!. Sometimes you might think "oh we did OK there" but other times you might think "god what a cock-up we made of that"!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.but it doesn't matter because we can't change what happened!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Proud as hell!.!.!!!!!.!.
Sure, we've trod on people but so has everyone else!.!.Truth is, no country is totally isolated so if your'e gonna be surrounded by wolves why not try and be the top hound!.!.

!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.and that's what nationalism is all about, so until the whole world is united under one flag your'e allways gonna have the trodden on and the treaders!.!.;-)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Proud, although the histroy of Britian is not perfect, there are countries that are worse, and no country has a perfect history!. Britian has left it's mark on the world, and not a bad one, so be proud of being britishWww@QuestionHome@Com

General answer for anyone who is horrifically ashamed of their nation's history - the good and the bad - as all have both!.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT HERE - LEAVE!.

And quit your whining about things you know nothing about!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Proud!. Abolished Slavery earliest country to do so!.
The English language - the language of the world!.

Another good answer Hockey FanWww@QuestionHome@Com

I think proud of all the good bits, and understanding of the bad bits and how we have learnt from them (or hopefully learnt from them)!.
Same for all countries, really!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i think they should be proud we all make mistakes they conquered they won they lost life goes on they had there time of gloryWww@QuestionHome@Com

thats a toughie - there is so much to be proud of but so much for which we should hang our heads in shame!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

proud because there is no alternativeWww@QuestionHome@Com

Proud!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Only those could answer that for valide who live
nearbyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Both!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Glenn F above is spot-onWww@QuestionHome@Com

Very very ashamed- their divide and conquer tactics have resulted in most of the religiously/polititcally tribal warfare hot-spots in the world todayWww@QuestionHome@Com

should feel remorse and apologise for the suffering it caused others countries and give back the countries that is not theirs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

ashamed because it uses false history and has stolen from many countriesWww@QuestionHome@Com