Understanding Britain’s Colonial History- Sia Pathak JAGS

Changing the curriculum would have numerous benefits.  If we have a deeper knowledge of Britain’s colonial history, we will have a better understanding of why immigrants came to Britain, and therefore create a society that is less discriminatory against them.  Many people look at immigrants with suspicion, believing they came to this country trying to steal jobs, and threaten the British way of life.  However, if people were taught about the British empire, they could see that this is not the case. In fact, immigrants have made their homes in the UK on the invitation of the British government, for example the Windrush Generation who moved from the Caribbean.  They were desperately sought after to boost the British economy after the war, and to fill jobs the British public no longer wanted to do, such as bus drivers and cleaners, and since their arrival, these migrants have built homes, families, and communities here.  Knowing about Britain’s colonial past shows us the story of how the multicultural country we know today was formed, that immigrants didn’t come to Britain with bad intentions, in fact they came to help in its time of need and have kept the country going ever since.

A consequence of the lack of education about colonisation, is that it is putting the hard work of immigrants at risk.  The Windrush scandal is a prime example of how the lack of knowledge about why the Windrush Generation were able to migrate to this country, had devastating consequences for many people, as hundreds were detained and deported, as well as stripped of their rights. In 2022, The Nationality and Borders Bill was passed in government, so they can refuse asylum seekers fleeing from conflict and can take away the citizenship of any immigrant.  Understanding of colonial history and the role we have in conflicts across the globe is vital to truly understand the impact of this bill.

However, there are arguments against the improved education of colonial history. One of which being that it already exists. However, it exists as an optional topic. The British Empire dominated 25% of the world’s surface. In only 1 or 2 days 15 million people were displaced, and 2 million died, as part of partition of India, the largest mass movement in history. The transatlantic slave trade lasted 400 years and affected 15million people. 150,000 people were held in Boer concentration camps in south Africa, and another 150,000 in detention camps after the Mau Mau uprising. Yet we do not learn about this in school.

Britain is a truly multicultural society, but I think that it is extremely detrimental to us all if we keep ignoring chunks of its past, history should be taught in its entirety, the good and the bad, only then can we understand issues that that plague modern Britain and address them openly. If we can have these difficult conversations with each other, we can work how we all have our place in this nation, be proud of our past and be equal stakeholders in our collective future.