What is "Britishness" Part 3: Bulldog spirit

Another characteristic that we are renowned for is the ‘British bulldog spirit,’ reflecting a dogged determination and resilience in the face of any crisis or adversity. It was a feature in World War I propaganda posters and was embodied by Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the Second World War.

Photo by Iryna Melnyk on 123RF

Maybe this is what the long and turbulent history of these islands has produced in us. This country and its people are battle scarred having being forged out of turmoil and conflict. Since the Iron Age (750 BC to 43 AD), tribal groups ruled by chieftains fought with each other. Following the Roman invasion in 55 BC, there have been various other invasions and raids by the Romans (again), Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans. The development of strong national identities in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland led to many interstate disputes, conquests, rebellions and the Irish troubles. There have been civil wars and conflicts with our European neighbours. The rise and fall of the British Empire were hardly benign events, leaving a trail of unrest, popular uprisings and a war of independence in the US. We have participated in two World Wars and many other international conflicts since 1945. Our history is punctuated with famous battles, such as those of Hastings, Agincourt, Boyne, Trafalgar, Waterloo, Somme, Passchendaele, Britain, El Alamein, and Kohima.

With such a deep-rooted military history, it is hardly surprising that the British have a penchant for being awkward, not letting anyone push us around, practising political brinkmanship and using threats to get their own way in international relations. The rhetoric of war stirs up patriotism, legitimises autocratic leadership, inhibits debate and suspends political scrutiny. It presents loss or death as a sacrifice that is somehow necessary for the wider good. This may explain the tendency for some of our politicians to see every emergency that we face as a war, battle or fight that has to be won, as we have seen with the Government’s approach to negotiations with the EU over Brexit and in its response to Covid-19. Whilst standing up for ourselves is laudable, we do not have to turn every crisis into a fight. The truth is that it is extremely difficult to totally defeat a virus, be it Covid-19 or the flu. We have to learn lessons and develop strategies to manage and survive in a virus-threatened world. Likewise, we will need to improve relations with the EU for post-Brexit Britain to survive and thrive. A determined but more nuanced and humble approach will be required to enable Britain to succeed in the 21st century.