British nationalism

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The Union Jack of the United Kingdom, adopted in this version in 1801 bearing England's red cross with white border (England in 1801 included Wales within it), Ireland's Saint Patrick's Saltire with a white border, and Scotland's Saint Andrew's Saltire and blue background. This is a common symbol used by British nationalists Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
The Union Jack of the United Kingdom, adopted in this version in 1801 bearing England's red cross with white border (England in 1801 included Wales within it), Ireland's Saint Patrick's Saltire with a white border, and Scotland's Saint Andrew's Saltire and blue background. This is a common symbol used by British nationalists
Anne was the first monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Queen Anne and William, Duke of Gloucester by studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller.jpg
Anne was the first monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Satellite photograph of Great Britain and Ireland. Originally British nationalism was typically applicable to Great Britain. British nationalism typically focuses on the unity of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. MODIS - Great Britain and Ireland - 2012-06-04 during heat wave.jpg
Satellite photograph of Great Britain and Ireland. Originally British nationalism was typically applicable to Great Britain. British nationalism typically focuses on the unity of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

British nationalism asserts that the British are a nation and promotes the cultural unity of Britons, [1] [2] in a definition of Britishness that may include people of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish descent. [3] British nationalism is closely associated with British unionism, which seeks to uphold the political union that is the United Kingdom, or strengthen the links between the countries of the United Kingdom. [4]

Contents

British nationalism's unifying identity descends from the ancient Britons who dwelt on the island of Great Britain. [2] British nationalism grew to include people outside Great Britain, in Ireland, because of the 1542 Crown of Ireland Act, which declared that the crown of Ireland was to be held by the ruling monarch of England as well as Anglo-Irish calls for unity with Britain. [5]

It is characterised as a "powerful but ambivalent force in British politics". [6] In its moderate form, British nationalism has been a civic nationalism, emphasising both cohesion and diversity of the people of the United Kingdom, its dependencies, and its former colonies. [7] However, nativist nationalism has arisen based on fears relating to immigration; this anti-immigrant nativist nationalism has manifested politically in the British National Party and other nativist nationalist movements. [7] Politicians, such as former British prime minister David Cameron, have sought to promote British nationalism as a progressive cause. [8]

History

During the Industrial Revolution, Britain saw the rise of an integrated national economy and a unified public sphere, where British people began to mobilise on a state-wide scale, rather than just in the smaller units of their province, town, or family. [9] This period also marked Britain's emergence as the first global policeman, with the world's first major modern navy and its capital city of London establishing itself as the foremost global financial centre. [10] The early emergence of a popular patriotic nationalism took place in the mid-18th century and was actively promoted by the British government, as well as writers and intellectuals. [11] National symbols, anthems, myths, flags and narratives were widely adopted. The Union Jack was adopted in 1801 as the national flag. [12]

The expansion of the British Empire was accompanied by the awakening of British nationalism. Following the Second World War, segments of British nationalists opposed European integration and Britain's membership in the European Economic Community. [10]

Commentary

Godfried van Benthem van den Bergh in 1966 noted that British nationalism had tended to lack the overt aggression seen in other nationalist movements, instead marked by confidence, a sense of dignity, and some arrogance. He also suggested that the British public rarely identified explicitly as nationalists, favouring patriotism instead. [10]

James Foley in 2023 wrote that, while philosophical nationalism has often centred the inherent diversity of human cultures, British nationalism in its post-Thatcher form focused less on a perceived inherent difference and more on the historic superiority of its liberal traditions and therefore its perceived capacity for international leadership. [13]

In Britons: Forging the Nation 1707–1837, Linda Colley closes by suggesting that the influences that originally bonded Britons are now largely gone, and that these have lead to a resurgence of English, Scottish, and Welsh identity. [14]

Andrew Black and Luisa Borras in 2021 posited that rising nationalism in the Devolved Nations has created tension with British nationalists. Where British nationalism is closely identified with supporting the monarchy, the houses of parliament, the judiciary and other elements of the institutional status quo, it is seen as support for these British elements that is being questioned in the devolved nations. [15]

Nationalism and unionism

Nowadays, as in the past, unionist movements exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These movements seek specifically to retain the ties between those areas and the rest of the UK, in opposition to civic nationalist movements. Such unionist movements include the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and the Scottish Unionist Party. In Scotland and Wales the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Reform UK support the Union. British nationalists are generally supportive of unionism.

List of British nationalist parties

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Motyl 2001, pp. 62–63.
  2. 1 2 Guntram H. Herb, David H. Kaplan. Nations and Nationalism: A Global Historical Overview: A Global Historical Overview. Santa Barbara, California, USA: ABC-CLIO, 2008.
  3. ↑ Motyl 2001, pp. 62–64.
  4. ↑ Miller 2005 , p. 133.
  5. ↑ Brendan Bradshaw, Peter Roberts. British Consciousness and Identity: The Making of Britain, 1533-1707. P. 302.
  6. ↑ Smith, Smith & White 1988 , p. 61.
  7. 1 2 Motyl 2001, pp. 64.
  8. ↑ Conservative Party leader David Cameron advocates liberal or civic British nationalism: "Cameron: I will never take Scotland for granted". Conservatives. 15 September 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Being British is one of the most successful examples of inclusive civic nationalism in the world. The official party site.
  9. ↑ Michael Mann (2012). The Sources of Social Power, Volume 2. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9781107031180.
  10. 1 2 3 van Benthem van den Bergh, Godfried (1966). "Contemporary Nationalism in the Western World". Daedalus. 95 (3): 839–842. ISSN   0011-5266.
  11. ↑ Gerald Newman (1997). The Rise of English Nationalism: A Cultural History, 1740–1830. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN   978-0312176990.
  12. ↑ Nick Groom, The Union Jack: The Story of the British Flag (2007).
  13. ↑ Foley, J (2023). "'Race, nation, empire? Historicising outward and inward-facing British nationalism'" (PDF). International Relations.
  14. ↑ Colley, Linda (1992). Britons: Forging the Nation 1707–1837. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 374–375.
  15. ↑ Black, Andrew; Borras, Luisa (2 Dec 2021). "Nationalism in the UK and Its Implications for the Westminster System of Governance". The Global Policy Institute. Retrieved 29 October 2025.

Bibliography

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