Rule Brittania! Is Britain still 'Great'?
It might not be too long before we remove the 'Great' from Great Britain. Is it better just to say 'Britain'? It certainly was a great nation in the past, albeit based on looting and exploiting other countries along the way. However, this was a time when anyone that could, was doing the same. Just as the Roman empire became so powerful from conquering everyone and anyone around it. That was so long ago that no one bothers to criticise their 'modus operandi'. Part of Italy's glorious history.
There's no question about the valuable contribution that Great Britain has made over the course of hundreds of years. There have been breakthrough's in medicine and treatment as well as engineering successes still evident today.
However, in more recent years it feels like things are continuing to slide downward. Perhaps everyone feels this when they get older? There are certainly many indicators of things going in the wrong direction such as Brexit, decline of the NHS and education. Most of which is a result of austerity. There's simply no more money in the piggy bank! Perhaps it started after Black Wednesday on 16 September 1992 when the Government were forced to withdraw Stirling from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). In doing so it's estimated the Bank of England lost about £3 billion. I wonder what the bill has been to support the British army during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Perhaps small fry in the whole scheme of things but it all adds up to something rather unpalatable.
David Cameron gambled with the nation's future and lost. The EU referendum secured him a second term in government but the outcome has left the nation in turmoil. There was never any reason to hold a referendum other than a political ploy to gain a second term. The referendum was a farce. What the people want and what's best for the nation can be two different things. Politicians become so self-obsessed and desperate to stay in power they're willing to jeopardise future prosperity and stability for their own personal gain. It's amusing how there's now frequent mention of moving forward because 'it's what the people want'. Well, some of them but what about the other millions? The UK Government is doing it's best to put a positive spin on something which is ultimately bad for the nation. There's strength in unity not isolation. There can be little good to come from Brexit at a time when the economy is already in long-term decline. However, this doesn't concern the decision makers of today as they will be enjoying their retirement by the time the fall-out really hits. They will have the money to secure the future of their own children.
The UK already had favourable concessions with EU membership. The media has long since portrayed the EU as a negative thing for the UK. Immigration was probably the biggest factor that turned people against it. It seemed like half of Europe was now coming to the UK to steal everyone's jobs, right? The truth is that the government were not funding the education and healthcare services sufficiently to take account of any new arrivals. Even when new arrivals were working and paying their taxes.
It feels like attempts to make the NHS and education system 'better' have failed. Although this is by no means a small task which could take many years to get right. Much longer than one or even two terms in parliament. Don't fix it if it ain't broke springs to mind. Recent stories about Accident and Emergency departments being overwhelmed add weight to this feeling of doom and gloom. Is it all media hype? There's certainly no smoke without fire here.
I think the UK is about 20 years behind the USA in many ways. A society where the wealthy thrive and the poor struggle. The USA has introduced us to a culture of guns, drugs, baseball caps and different ways of saying things such as 'good job' and 'awesome' which are now creeping into everyday use. Not to mention obesity from junk food, although we were already doing well on that with our own love of fried food and pastry. After all, who deosn't like fish & chips. I can recall when younger people starting to say "Hi!" in the 1990's. It made me cringe at first. It certainly sounded silly if you had used that term in the 1980's because it just wasn't something the British said. It was fine to hear it on US television shows or films but not in real life. These days I even use it myself otherwise risk sounding like someone who's been in a monastery all their life. US companies like Apple have slowly crept into the British high street offering their own brand of salesmanship. I heard their staff training involves lots of 'high fives'. What may feel silly now will probably be the norm in another 10 years (if not already).
Donald Trump as US president now leads the way for Boris Johnson to be the UK's future Prime Minister. I blame social media (yes, it really did happen).
With help from the internet we really can achieve a global economy. But what does this really mean? It means that a lucky few Gaming companies and Youtube 'celebrities' have become very rich. There was a time when people went to work, ate, did chores and slept - that was your life. It's great that people can now have more time to play video games and watch celebrity big brother or 'X' factor.
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| Is Great Britain fading away from Europe? |
Living in the UK you believe that it's a strong nation with lots of influence in Europe and the rest of the world. Live outside the UK and it hardly gets a mention. The UK likes to think it still has influence, but in reality people don't take much notice of the UK anymore (politically). Don't get me wrong, it's still a great place to visit. It's like a giant theme park with a timeline through the ages. Just stay clear of the no-go council estates and you're be fine.
