Is history a mere accumulation of facts or is it the interpretation of facts? Is history truth or is it the rudimentary step towards truth? Can history be rewritten? And if, would it maintain its validity?
One is invariably led to ask these questions in the wake of a new policy that could be circulated soon in Britain. The chairman of the new Commission for Equalities and Human Rights, Trevor Philips, seems to stirred a hornet’s nest by highlighting the need to rewrite the history books in order to reveal how cultures other than that of the Anglo-Saxons shaped Britain. He was quite forceful in expressing his views at a Labour Conference about the need to revisit the past and honour the unsung heroes who helped the country in times of need.
This call for rewriting and reinterpretation of the past comes at a time when Britain is trying to come to terms with growing doubts on multiculturalism. Britain is one of the multicultural nations in Europe with people from a plethora of religions, cultures and races residing alongside one another. Once the symbol of mass integration, Britain has been found to be somewhat vulnerable to malfunctioning in the integration policy in recent years. The 7/7 attacks and then the failed London bombings have been attributed to the failure of the people to integrate themselves into the British culture.
In the fringe meeting at the Labour conference, Mr. Philips stated one incident from the late 16th century to underline how several events in history have been omitted from general knowledge and perception. The story of Sir Francis Drake successfully defending against the Spanish armada in 1588 is perfectly well known to all Brits but one element that has been omitted from the tale is the indispensable help from the Turks. After Queen Elizabeth I requested them, the Muslim Turks held up the Spanish ships and this act helped the British fleets gain more time and be better prepared.
Trevor Philips wants such stories to be explored from all dimensions and says that such acts would then encourage people from different cultures to realize their country’s history and understand it in a better way. Mr. Philips’ support for musician Billy Bragg’s campaign for a new written constitution defining what it means to be British in the 21st century is well known. A highly respected man in British politics, Mr. Philips does seem to be ushering a new era into Britain and how its history is written and perceived.
Image Source: University of Westminster
Source: The Telegraph, UK
