Riassunto esame Mass Media, prof. Baseotto, libro consigliato British Civilization, Oakland

GROWTH AND IMMIGRATION TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

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The British state gradually developed through colonization and political unification. This process

was accompanied by fierce and bloody conflicts between the nations, often resulting in lasting

tensions and bitterness.

Plitical and military attempts were made by Englan to unite Wales, Scotland and Ireland under the

English Crown. English monarchs tried to conquer or ally themselves with these other countries as

a protection against threats from within the island and fro, continental Europe, as well as for

increased power and possessions.

Ireland was invaded by Henry II in 1169. much of the country was then controlled by Anglo-

Norman nobles but little direct authority was initially exercised from England. Ireland later became

part of the UK in 1801 but after a period of violence and political unrest, was divided in 1921-22

into the independent Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK).

Wales, after Roman rule, remained a Celtic country. Between 1282 and 1285 Edward I's military

campaign brought Wales under English rule. Wales was integrated legally and administratively with

England by Acts of Union 1536-42.

the English also tried to conquer Scotland by military force, but were repulsed at the Battle of

Bannockburn in 1314. scotland was then to remain independent until the political union between

the two countries in 1707 when the creation of Great Britain (England/Wales and Scotland) took

place. But Scotland and England had shared a common monarch since 1603 when James VI of

Scotland became James I of England.

England, Wales and Scotland had meanwhile become predominantly protestant in religion as a

result of the European Reformation. But Ireland remained Catholic and tried to distance itself from

England.

Britain is a recent and potentially unstable union of four old nations. The English often treated their

Celtic neighbours as colonial subjects rather than equal partners, and englishness became a

dominant strand in concepts of britishness, because of the role that the English have played in the

formation of britain. There was a steady internal migration between the four nations.

Immigrants have had a significant impact on British society. They have contributed to financial

institutions, commerce, industry and agriculture, and influenced artistic, cultural and political

developments. But immigrants activity and success have resulted in jealousy, discrimination and

violence from the native population. In addition to plitical integration, Britain's growth was also

conditioned first by a series of agricultural changes and second by a number of later industrial

revolutions. Britain expanded agriculturally and commercially from the eleventh century, and also

developed manufacturing industries. Immigration was often characterized by financial and

agricultural skills. Jewish money-lenders entered England with the Norman Conquest, to be

followed later by Lombard bankers. This commercial expertise helped to create greater wealth and

was influenced by the merchants of the German Hansa League. Some immigrants stayed only for

short periods. Others remained and adapted themselves to british society, while preserving their

own cultural and ethnic identities.

Foreign workers had no legal rights, and early immigrants, such as Jews and the Hansa

merchants, could be summarily expelled. As agricultural production moved into sheep farming and

clothing manufactures, larger numbers of people settled around woollen ports. Other newcomers

continued to arrive from overseas, including gypsies, blachs and a further wave of Jews, who

created the first permanent Jewish community. From around 1700 there was to be no more large

immigration into the country for the next two hundred years. Britain was exporting more people

than it received, mainly to North America and expanding colonies worldwide. A second central

development in British History was a number of industrial revolutions in the eighteenth and

nineteenth centuries. These transformed Britain from an agricultural economy into an industrial and

manufacturing country.

The earlier agricultural population changed radically in the nineteenth century into an industrialized

workforce. The greatest concentrations of people were now in London and industrial areas. The

industrial revolution reached its height during the early nineteenth century. By the end of the

nineteenth century , Britain was the world leading industrial nation and one of the reachest.

IMMIGRATION FROM 1900

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immigrants historically had relatively free access to Britain. But they could be easily expelled; had

no legal rights to protect them; and restrctions were increasingly imposed upon them. Demands for

immigration control grew and anti-foreigner feeling spread, fuelled by the nationalism and spy

mania caused by the First World War. But laws which were designed to curtail foreign entry,

proved ineffective. Despite legal controls, and partly as a result of the Second World War,

refugesees from Nazi-occupied Europe and immigrants entered Britain.

All Commonwealth citizenz were allowed free acces and were treated as aliens.

From the late 1940s, people from non-white New Commonwealth nations of Indian, Pakistan and

West indies came to Britain to fill the vacant manual and lower-paid jobs of an expanding

economy.

It is argued that Britain possesses a deep-rooted (or institutional) racism based on the legacy of

empire and notions of racial superiority , which continues to manifest itself and has hindered the

integration of the non-withe population into a larger society. Many young non-whites who have

been born in Britain feel particularly bitter at their experiences and at their relative lack of

educational and employment possibilities and advancement.

Immigration Acts were used to restrict the number of immigrants entering the country and the Race

Relations Acts were used to protect the rights of those immigrants already settled in Britain.

Race Relations Acts make it unlawful to discriminate against persons on grounds of racial, ethnic

or national origin in areas such as education, housing, employment, service and advertising.

All immigrants require either entry clearance or permission to enter and remain. Such newcomers

need a work permit and a guaranteed job if they hope to stay in the country for longer periods of

time. But dependants of immigrants already settled in Britain may be granted the right of entry and

permanent settlement.

There are one million illegal asylum seekers and immigrants in Britain. On the other hand, the

country's economy is dependent upon immigrant labour to compensate for a declining birth rate

and it is argued that ammigration and asylum regulatios need to be realistically reformed.

POPULATION MOVEMENTS FROM 1900

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Industrial areas with heavy population densities developed in the nineteenth century. But

considerable population shifts (movimenti) occurred in the twentieth century, which were mainly

due to economic and employment changes.

People moved first to the English Mindlands with their diversified industries and then to London

and south-east England where employment opportunities and affluence were greater. The

reduction of the rural population and the expansion of urban centres continued into the twentieth

century. But, by the middle of the century, there was a movement of people away from the centres

of big cities. This was due to bomb damage during the Second World War, slum clearance and the

need to use inner-city land for shops, offices, warehouses and transport utilities.

Many people choose to live some distance from their workplaces often in a city's suburbs,

neighbouring towns.

The non-withe ethnic minorities are growing fifteen times faster than the withe population and are

also much younger.

ATTITUDES TO NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL IDENTITIES

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There are many differences between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Irland and distinctive

ways of life and identities within each nation at national, regional and local levels. The meaning of

contemporary “Britishness” consequently becomes problematic. The history of the British- Irish

Isles is about four different nations and their peoples, who have often been hostile towards one

another.

The British identification is often equated with English norms because of England's historical role:

political unification occured under the English Crown, UK state power is still mainly concentrated in

London, and the English dominate numerically.

English nationalism has historically been the most potent of the four nationalisms.

The Scots and Welsh are more aware of the difference between their nationalism and Britishness;

resent the English dominance; see themselves as different from the English.

There are also differences on regional and local local levels within the four nations themselves.

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Chapter 3:

Politics and government

POLITCAL HISTORY

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Early political history in the British-Irish Isles is the story of four geographical areas (now England,

Wales, Scotland and Ireland), but an English political and military expansionism over the centuries

conditioned the development of the other three nations.

th

Ireland was controlled by England from the 20 century; England and Wales were united by the

1536-42 Acts of Union, the thrones of England and Scotland were dynastically amalgamated in

1603; England, Wales and Scotland were united by the 1707 Acts of Union, and the 1801 Act of

Union joined Great Britain and Ireland as the UK.

. Decline of monarchy and the rise of Parliament

The English Parliament was too large to rule the country effectively. A small Privy Council

comprising the monarch and court advisers, developed. It continued as a powerful influence until it

th th

lost authority to increasingly strong parliamentary structures in the late 18 and early 19 century.

But the English Parliament had limited powers against the monarch, there was a return to royal

dominance in Tudor England. The nobility had been weakened by wars and internal conflicts.

Monarch controlled Parliament and summoned it only when they needed to raise money.

The English Parliament now showed more resistance to royal rule by using its weapon of financial

control.

. The growth of political parties and constitutional structures th

The growing power of the English Parliament against the monarch in the 17 century saw the

development of more organized political parties in Parliament.

These derived partly from the religious and ideological conflicts of the Civil War. Two groups

became dominant. This is characteristic feature of British two-party politics, in which political power

generally shifts between two main parties. The Whigs were mainly Cromwellian Protestants and

gentry, who did not accept the Catholic James II as successor to Charles II and wanted religious

freedom for all Protestants. The Tories generally supported royalist beliefs, and helped Charles II

to secure James’s right to succeed hi