Should we be proud of our colonial past?

Come and enjoy an evening of stimulating discussion on a topic that matters. These opportunities to discuss often contentious matters are open to everyone but please register to attend as space is limited.

Whilst there have been many different empires over the course of human history, it used to be claimed that the sun never set on the British Empire – the biggest empire the world has known.

Driven by a hunger for wealth and power – colonial powers like Britain took control of various areas of land to find and exploit resources and establish new trade routes.

There was a real sense of ideological superiority, justified by a "civilizing mission". Colonial powers imposed their own languages, religions, and education systems, leading to the erosion of indigenous cultures. The dominating powers didn’t recognise or ignored local cultures and systems. They created arbitrary borders that often ignored existing ethnic or linguistic divisions.

Whilst today many people feel a sense of regret and even shame for Britain’s past actions as a colonial power, and the greater proportion (35%) of the population is conflicted in what it should think, a recent UK public opinion poll still shows a significant portion of the population expresses pride in the British Empire and its colonial history. (30% YouGov 29-30 July 2024).

Many Britons would contend there is a positive legacy - often pointing to the global spread of the English language, the establishment of educational, legal and parliamentary systems, and the development of infrastructure in former colonies.

The 20th century saw a massive wave of decolonization, although the legacies of these systems persist.

This informal and friendly group meets in the meeting room on the first floor (within the library area) to discuss life and living - thoughts, ideas and issues that matter to all of us. This open discussion provides a safe space to explore often contentious issues and benefit from other's experiences and different thoughts.

The discussions allow free, respectful, expression of views and offers genuine consideration of different points of view.

Space is limited so please make sure you RSVP.

Please also bring your ideas for future discussions! - We'll often decide on contenders for our next discussion topic at the meeting. Sometimes we'll poll opinions on teh next topic via the CHUM Discussions WhatsApp community group.

The event is free to attend though a donation may be requested (suggested donation £5).

Please bring your ideas for future discussions!

The event is free to attend though a donation may be requested (suggested donation £5).