The disappearance of the empire caused a fracture in the national identity of the British, which had lost its accustomed integrity. The English had to build a new system of priorities on the world stage in a historically short time. In a country where residents had previously felt a sense of belonging to the mother country, the concept of 'Britishness' underwent a transformation. The British became English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.
Other aspects of worldview also changed. The cultural paradigm set by Victorian England gave way to a rejection of conformism, new ideas about public morality, art, relations between the sexes, and human individuality. However, no vicissitudes of development erased from the historical memory of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion the memory of Pax Britannica.
Imperial nostalgia manifested itself clearly in 1982, when the British-Argentine armed conflict broke out over the Falkland Islands. This war, if considered as the defense of British overseas territory from external attack, was just. However, the rhetoric accompanying it, which served to revive jingoism – English aggressive patriotism – demonstrated a desire to show the whole world that Great Britain is not just a European state, but a great power.
However, the Falklands 'surge' did not continue. Britain could no longer, and did not want to, feel like the heir to an empire. The attitude of the British towards the outside world changed. In contrast to the hope for the revival of a superpower, which occasionally made itself felt, the 'Little England' complex emerged – a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to shut oneself off from the source of possible danger at all costs. The consequence of this was a rise in nationalist and even chauvinist sentiments.
Thus, in 1962, immigration controls were introduced for persons arriving from Commonwealth states, strengthened in 1971. After the adoption of immigration laws in 1981 and 1987, overstaying the permitted period became a criminal offense. By the early 1990s, people in Britain began to speak of the death of Commonwealth ideals, as discrimination on racial and national grounds had become institutionalized in the country.
The influence of the imperial past is still felt, manifesting itself primarily in the activities of the British right. After World War II, imperial themes and the idea of the 'white man's burden' came to the forefront in their campaigning. However, while earlier such sentiments were based on a feeling of condescending superiority over native peoples, during the period of imperial collapse and in the present time, this has been replaced by hostility, dislike and aggression. Today, the main slogans of the right – banning immigration and protecting the ethnic purity of native Britons – are combined with open displays of hostility towards the European Union.
The Labour Party, which replaced the Conservatives in 1997, traditionally had a more favorable attitude towards immigrants from 'third world' countries, especially from former British colonies. However, in recent years, a trend towards tightening immigration policy has also emerged among them. This alienated many representatives of ethnic minorities, primarily Muslims, from the Labour government, leading to setbacks for the ruling Labour Party in local elections.
The Labour Party faced a difficult task: to halt the erosion of British identity, preserve the positive aspects of multiculturalism, and maintain a balance between minority traditions and human rights.
The Labour government traditionally adhered to the principles of tolerance and multiculturalism, but did not turn a blind eye to the anti-social activities of immigrants. David Blunkett, Home Secretary from 2001 to 2004, took a firm stance on protecting human rights in matters such as corporal punishment of children in madrassas or forced marriage (the latter occurring among people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). In addition, in recent years the government has become more decisive in deporting illegal immigrants – more than 150,000 people are awaiting deportation.
One step towards solving the identity problem was the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act (2002). On its basis, from 2004, a citizenship ceremony was introduced, during which one must swear allegiance to the British monarchy and take an oath of loyalty to the country. In addition, applicants for British citizenship must demonstrate a good knowledge of the history and geography of the United Kingdom. In 2006, the Identity Cards Act was adopted, which not only aims to combat terrorism and crime, but is also designed to strengthen the status of a citizen by providing access to welfare state services. In early 2006, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, with the aim of strengthening patriotic sentiments, proposed establishing a new national holiday – Britain Day.
Until recently, nine out of ten residents of the country believed that a Briton does not necessarily have to be white, and four out of five thought that the rights of ethnic minorities should be respected. Now the situation has changed. The partitions separating the communities living in Great Britain are becoming less transparent and permeable.
Alexei Gromyko.
Rosbalt News Agency