Many students leave school knowing Henry VIII’s wives, what started the Great Fire of London and what Florence Nightingale carried through hospital wards. But say the word ‘colonialism’ and their brains fizzle out. Writer Amina Ali makes a case for the school curriculum to highlight the darker parts of British history.
It’s the morning of May 7, 2025, and like most 20-something year olds, I stupidly open TikTok while getting ready for the day.
“Breaking news: 31 dead after India launches strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.”
Scroll.
“Israel plans to take over Gaza in a new operation.”
Scroll
“Here’s what Reform UK’s win in the local elections means for British Muslims.”
(My For You Page isn’t exactly a serotonin boost, and I have only myself to blame for that).
On first glance, each story is so different. An occupation in Gaza, an attack on Pakistan and a local election in the UK, all witnessed by a young woman in Nottingham.
But the funny thing is that each story has something at the heart of it. A certain country that couldn’t stop sticking its nose in other countries’ businesses.
Any guesses?
It’s good old Britannia, of course.
Despite what history classes led us to believe, British colonialism is responsible for most of the world’s problems today.
The border between India and Pakistan was drawn by a British man (Cyril Radcliffe) who had never even visited the country. He also had no idea about how Kashmir was so valuable to both Muslim and Hindu communities.
The Balfour Declaration, which gave support for a ‘national home for Jewish people’ in Palestine, was issued by the British Government in 1917. The failure of the Declaration’s call to protect non-Jewish Palestinians has led to the horrific acts we see today.
When Britain retreated from its colonies, it took most of their wealth and art with them. The colonies were left poor, with crumbling governmental systems and inequalities which lead migrants and immigrants to our shores.
Even I’m here because of colonialism. Post-war Britain needed foreign workers, and my grandad was one of them.
It’s a hard pill to swallow to learn that the country you live in and love is responsible for so much destruction. But you can criticise Britain’s past while still being patriotic. Without criticism, patriotism turns to nationalism. And nationalism can quickly turn into fascism.
Take Germany for example. They don’t shy away from teaching schoolchildren about Hitler’s rise to power, the Nazi party or the Holocaust. There are no statues of Hitler to preserve history and the country’s capital is home to the Holocaust Memorial.
They acknowledge their dark history, so why can’t we?
Yes, Britain did great things and they deserve to be taught (not that they ever weren’t). But it’s embarrassing for us to let schoolchildren leave education without any knowledge of the harsher parts of British history.
It was only through my own research that I learnt about the Partition of India, the creation of Israel and the mass migration of South Asians in the 60s and 70s, despite them all being a part of British history.
This isn’t good enough.
If we want real patriotism, the curriculum needs to spend less time pining over Henry VIII’s wives and more time reflecting the true nature of our country. Even if it’s not what we want to hear.
