Anglophobia
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Anglophobia is a hatred or fear of the English or English culture; its antonym is anglophilia.[1]
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[edit] USA
The word Anglophobia originates from the eighteenth century.[2] Thomas Jefferson used the word in a letter to James Madison dated May 13th 1793.[3] He wrote:
The Anglophobia has seized violently on three members of our council.....Anglophobia, secret anti-gallomany, a federalisme outré, and a present ease in his circumstances not usual, have decided the complexion of our dispositions, and our proceedings towards the conspirators against human liberty, and the asserters of it, which is unjustifiable in principle, in interest, and in respect to the wishes of our constituents.
During the period of alliance between Britain and the USA, anglophobia took another form. Fleet Admiral Ernest King had been noted for his anglophobic views which affected his decision making during the Second Battle of the Atlantic. [4]
[edit] France
Anglophobia in France likely started in the Hundred Years War. The "perfidious Albion" expression is still used by the French journalists as a mockery of the English people and its representative tabloids in particular events such as the accusation of France to have cheated to win the World Cup 1998, or the accusation of the French beauty pageant Élodie Gossuin, challenging Miss Universe '01, to not be a real woman but a transsexual in disguise.[5]
[edit] Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
England has historically overshadowed the international standing of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and, at times, even the United Kingdom.[6] Consequently, Anglophobia within the UK is sometimes linked to England’s position as the politically and culturally dominant member of the union.[7]
There is some evidence to suggest that Devolution in the UK has created a forum through which national and cultural differences are less polarised. Prof Bill Miller argued that 'Devolution has made the majority of Scots more relaxed, more receptive, more welcoming, as well as more proud of Scotland' [8]. A study by Hussain and Millar of the Department of Politics at the University of Glasgow examined the prevalence of Anglophobia in relation to Islamophobia in Scotland. One finding of the report suggested that national ‘phobias’ have common routes independent of the nations they are directed toward. The study states that:
Scottish identity comes close to rivalling low levels of education as an influence towards Anglophobia. Beyond that, having an English friend reduces Anglophobia by about as much as having a Muslim friend reduces Islamophobia. And lack of knowledge about Islam probably indicates a broader rejection of the ‘other’, for it has as much impact on Anglophobia as on Islamophobia. [9]
Identifying Anglophobia has also been seen as beneficial to developing a more inclusive society in Scotland. Kenny MacAskill (Scottish National Party), Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians, stated his position in a debate on education in Scotland, saying that:
We must… address Scotland's current social problems, including sectarianism and Anglophobia, by giving people knowledge of who they are. One could call it the Braveheart effect… people in Scotland fail to understand the effect of the 1745 rebellion or do not even know who fought at the battle of Culloden. If we took a vox pop on the question, many people would probably think that the battle of Culloden was not part of a civil war but a doing-down of the flower of Scotland by English forces. In fact, more people died in that battle at the hands of the Black Watch than died at the hands of the Duke of Cumberland. [10]
[edit] References
- ^ dictionary.com definition.
- ^ Allwords.com definition of Anglophobia.
- ^ Excerpts from the Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson.: School of Cooperative Individualism Website.
- ^ Moser, John E. (1999): Twisting the Lion's Tail: American Anglophobia Between the World Wars, New York University Press.
- ^ Guiffan, Jean: Histoire de l'anglophobie en France, de Jeanne d'Arc à la vache folle, Editions Terre de Brumes, 2004.
- ^ What is the UK? Is it the same as Britain, Great Britain or England? by Don Aitken (2002): The alt.usage.english Home Page. Retrieved 28 May 2006.
- ^ Britain/Great Britain/United Kingdom &c: Some Common Confusions by John Davies (2004): The alt.usage.english Home Page. Retrieved 28 May 2006.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
