Britishness, multiculturalism and ethnicity (Correction of the DM)

1) The 18th Century conception of Britishness as outlined by Linda Colley is no

longer valid today mainly because 18th Century Britain no longer exists.
According to Colley, the elements on which the British nation was created
in 1707 were Protestantism, trade and empire, war and military power
and intermarriage among the landed classes. These elements have been
challenged and lost most of their significance after the Second World War.
Britain moved from being an empire to being merely a country in the
European continent. Furthermore, the war saw the end of Britain as a
military power and the rise of the United States in its position. Social
changes followed and the notion of classes has lost its significance
especially after the prominence of the middle class and its growing
importance to Britains economy. Wealth was no longer a birth right
inherited by the landed gentry but rather became obtainable by hard work
regardless of class and blood.
Modern Britain is a different country which is affected and defined by new
factors such as devolution, immigration and globalization. Devolution has
challenged the traditional view of the Union and highlighted the divisions
between the four countries. Moreover, immigration resulted in the creation
of a multicultural society where ethnic, religious and regional identities
play an important role in peoples lives. Furthermore, globalization has
meant an open, two-way exchange of the British culture with the cultures
of the world.
Britain can no longer cling to its 18 th Century definition of what it means to
be British because its national identity has evolved with the evolution of
the country itself and with the internal and external changes that have
affected it.
2) In todays contemporary British society, it is no longer possible to suggest
a common definition of national identity or Britishness. First, Britain is a
union of four distinct countries with their own distinct cultures and
histories. Despite their long political and geographical union, the peoples
of these countries are quite different and diverse. To attempt to narrow
their differences and concoct a common definition of Britishness would do
them injustice. Furthermore, the flux of immigration to the UK, which
started after the Second World War, has given birth to a heterogeneous
multicultural society. Todays Britain is a country of plurality of language,
culture, ethnicity, religion and ultimately identity.
3) There is no agreement on the need to adopt and enforce a multicultural
view of contemporary British society. According to the text, adopting
multiculturalism has backfired and resulted in furthering separation in the
British society, some experts have argued that the policies of
multiculturalism ( ) have, in fact, undermined the position of
Britishness as a common identity. An important segment of the British
society perceive that the policies enforced by the government in support of
multiculturalism are negative and should instead be replaced by policies
which emphasize unity or a core of Britishness. In evidence, the author
cites the position of central figures and leading politicians such as Gordon

Brown who proposes to make a national day to celebrate unity and the
nations cultural values.