The Ethics of Immigration: Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" (1968)

Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech, delivered on April 20 1968 in Birmingham, UK, was a historically significant address by the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP). Powell spoke out against mass immigration and warned of the social and cultural consequences he believed would result from continued immigration into Britain. He proposed a new policy in which migrants would return to their countries of origin. The speech's title comes from Powell's reference to Virgil's Aeneid, where he envisioned rivers of blood flowing through the streets due to racial tensions and violence.

Powell's speech was widely condemned for its inflammatory rhetoric, with many accusing him of inciting racial hatred. However, it also garnered significant public support, with thousands of people writing to Powell and taking to the streets in agreement. The speech marked an important turning point in British politics, influencing debates on immigration and race relations to this day. Powell was dismissed from his position in the Shadow Cabinet by Conservative leader Edward Heath after the speech.

(Enoch Powell was a linguistic prodigy, fluent in several languages including Latin, Greek, French, German, Italian, and Urdu. He excelled academically, studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he became a professor of Greek at age 25. Powell later pursued military service, leveraging his linguistic skills in intelligence roles during World War II.)

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For the discussion, please listen to the "Rivers of Blood" speech in advance here (the full text is here.)

For additional context, please read this article, and watch this documentary.