Monthly Archives: March 2016

British Steel and the end of Britishness

For patriots who base their pride in Britain on her history, the recent collapse of her manufacturing industry should be a heavy blow; much more so than the fall of the Empire, which was never – as I once spent … Continue reading

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Islamic Imperialism

Following on from my last post, here is an old review of Islamic Imperialism: A History, by Efraim Karsh (2006). Originally published in Lobster 51 (Summer 2006). * For anyone who believes that ‘imperialism’ is an exclusively Western phenomenon, that Islam has only been the victim of it, … Continue reading

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Terrorism: some historical context

There are of course historical precedents for the terrorism of today, but none I think that quite measures up to the modern Islamicist variety. But before we get on to this, let’s define the term. It’s often used incorrectly. It was … Continue reading

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The Easter Rising

This of course is the centenary of Ireland’s ‘Easter Rising’ against the British. (Roughly – Easter may have been on a different day then.) In 1966 I was in Dublin for the 50th anniversary, researching the papers of Sir Roger … Continue reading

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Review (Personal)

The first review of my British Imperial in a major journal. And a good one – i.e. it really understands what the book is about. Thank you, LRB. (I can’t believe it’s because I’m one of their contributors.) (http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n07/ferdinand-mount/lumpers-v-splitters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=3807&utm_content=ukrw _subsact&hq_e=el&hq_m=4202170&hq_l=22&hq_v=1b516b01f8)

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Monotheism

A thought has just occurred to me. It must have occurred to many others. It’s not ‘religion’ that’s the problem (see below, March 4), but monotheistic religion. That was the fundamental reform brought about by Judaism, Christianity and Islam in … Continue reading

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Brussels 22/3

The day of the Brussels bombings. But still she managed to get here. Kajsa, that is, from Stockholm. Despite heightened airport security, and a fire at Grantham station. (Don’t they know the Witch is dead?) The by now familiar conversation over wine … Continue reading

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Migration and History

The travails of the British Conservative party, although a source of great interest and amusement to the likes of me, seem trivial by the side of the great problem besetting us all just now: which is – apart from the ongoing … Continue reading

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Tories, Austerity, and IDS

Exciting things are happening in British politics just now, mainly Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith’s dramatic resignation from the cabinet on Friday. This is not as straightforward as it looks. Was it really over disability benefits, as he … Continue reading

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Cambridge and homosexual harassment

When I went up to Cambridge in October 1960, I found myself, for the first time, in the company of public schoolboys. My college (Corpus Christi) boasted – if that’s the word – a higher proportion of them than most, … Continue reading

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