Can English people explain how they feel about this?

[Green215]

As an English person, do you hold resentment towards any country based on historical grievances like war, invasion, famine, colonialism etc? If so, which; if not, why?

The reason I ask is because I’ve always found it odd how the English tend to be the only people in the world who do not hold such grievances.

Irish people are always complaining about British colonialism; many Scots and Welsh likewise complain about England on a historical basis; Greeks and Turks complain about one another; Africans, Indians, Arabs etc complain about European colonialism and American invasions; China complains about Japanese atrocities and vice versa; Russia complains about German atrocities; post-Soviet states complain about Russian occupation; France and Germany complain about one another; America often complains about the Revolution; Canada complains about the War of 1812; Mexico and Latin American countries and Caribbean countries complain about American invasions or interference or colonialism; some Australians resent British rule etc.

But, rarely do English people demand reparations or sing “rebel songs” or complain about historical grievances. Why?

I could understand if maybe some English people resented Germany due to the two world balls or resented America for things like the Suez crisis and the funding of the IRA. And truth be told, I have come across some English people that are like that. But, they are very few compared to the other peoples I described.

I understand that this is sort of an academic question, but I wanted to come on this forum to ask ordinary English people how they felt and I hope you can give some honest answers rather than sarcastic responses or not answering the question properly.

I guess I feel a bit sad about resentment from colonies when I have heard elderly people talk about the love they have for a couple of African countries they lived and taught in.

I thought too much about colonisation during a mental breakdown so try not to.... but I don't think we should hold Shame. I see myself as a citizen of the world.

When you write the English carved up the world, which is clearly true, do you also give them credit for the good bits they left behind? Much of the world still uses the English common law as their basic legal system, including the USA. Anecdata alert, but 25 years ago, we went to Sri Lanka on holiday, and the worst thing our taxi driver said about the period of British rule was that we left too soon. Before the railways were finished.

On balance, the English/British were generally decent colonisers. There were individuals who weren't. And of course, there were people who did not wish to be colonised who fought back. But in general, in migration numbers, into the UK, so many people see the UK as their preferred destination, we must have done something right.

Oi! I’m nearly 70 and I can assure you that no one I know is anti-German because of the war. You’d have to be 100 to have any real memory of the Second World War and its immediate aftermath.

My generation were focused on The Beatles and Stones!

We definitely weren’t the worst!

But as colonisers, we’re not talking about just the English. The Scots were very active in that area too.

As a Welsh person, I'm caught up in it whether I want to be or not.

i think Mel Gibson has a lot to answer for! (I think he’s Australian though.)

But his anti-English bias has not helped our popularity!🤣

The aristocracy and the top landowners in England are descendants of the Normans.
No memory needed

@soupyspoon Do you think the landowning descendants of the Normans should be blamed for their forebears?

This is fucking hilarious.

Maybe the ones who actually go on about being descended from them lol.

The Normans? Aka Frenchified Vikings. N

It’s not, in the grand scheme of things, a long time ago and really Is an utterly shameful chapter in British history.

As an Irish person I think it's a bit much to say the English "weren't the worst" as colonisers. The British took Irish people's land, put laws in place to ensure Irish Catholics were treated essentially as second class citizens in their own country. It was made illegal to practice their religion, speak their own language or celebrate any of their own traditions. Irish people were denied tje very basics of food and education.
This is also very recent in history with most of us brought up with our grandparents telling us first hand stories about the Black and Tans.
I personally don't hate anyone, but I also don't believe it should be forgotten. Colonising countries would do well to educate their people on all their history and stop trying to wash over the parts they don't like telling.

Why are you more worthy than the Congolese?

The Irish never colonised the Congo or anywhere else. Their role was actually in sending religious and humanitarian aid. They in fact criticised policy the Belgians had in place at the time.

It's also not about being "worthy". I'm baffled how anyone could even attempt to defend that particular chapter (or 800 years) of English history and the treatment of an entire country.

Can anyone edify me about “rise and fall of empires” in particular that the English have been impacted from in the last 1000 / 2000 years. To quote that annoying social trope: I’ll wait.

Are we honestly trying to say that the English in 2025 hold a grudge against the Italians / French because of what the romans and normans did 1000 and 2000 years ago.

What they did is an absolute pinprick in history compared to what the British have done since.

I would agree that Ireland and Irish people have legitimate reason to dislike British people, or at least the Anglo-Irish aristocracy. However, so many Irish people moved to England to improve their economic prospects, that argument gets a bit threadbare. Ireland is wealthy now, but mainly because the corporation tax rate is 12%, which is the lowest in the EU.

So do we. The phrase is from the American TV series The Simpsons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese-eating_surrender_monkeys

Almost all of the people who had anything whatsoever to do with WW2 are dead! Those still alive are in their 90s. Who is there left to hate? People who were babies or small children at the time and had nothing to do with it? You can't hate people for the actions of their ancestors.

Which is exactly what I said in my first post!

He was born in the U.S. (quite close to where I live) then later became an Australian citizen. I had forgotten about The Patriot, his movie about the American Revolution. A great many Revolutionary War battles were fought in my area, the Hudson Valley in NY.

Yes I have read the last 15 pages thank you.

Let me point out that plenty Irish people were also lost to both WW1 and WW2. I also think it's people with your attitude of "of stop moaning" is part of the reason most Irish people still hold some level of resentment.

It wasn't just the loss of a language it was the attempt to eradicate an entire culture. What kind of person can actually get on board with that is beyond me. And to have some posters then say "oh we weren't the worst". Give me a break.

So you’re saying England is currently colonised by the Normans?

I was in Normandy last week no wonder I felt so at home.

nothing to do with the fact it’s so close to southern England it looks exactly the same, obviously 😂

I think the most interesting part of your post was to draw attention to the English / British dichotomy around empire because a lot of Scottish and Welsh people like to keep quiet about their role in empire building that was equally enthusiastic as the English. It was the British empire. Not the English empire. The whole uk needs to take its share of that. For better or worse.