English identity is being regained. Englishness is increasingly recognised and celebrated, whereas British identity has become more ambiguous because of social, economic, and political change. England has been a nation without its own state for over 300 years. During this time English identity has been absorbed into a concept of 'Britishness'. Britain is a political union of four nations with different identities and is not a nation in its own right. In the nineteenth century Britain came to be defined by its powerful industrial economy, strong military, and success in building an overseas empire. Over the past hundred years these pillars of British identity have been eroded. More recently, devolution and Brexit have also highlighted the underlying cultural differences between the nations of the Union. A number of key themes are explored including the role of Christianity in English culture, the importance of chivalry in providing the foundation for a civilised society, and the contributions made by Puritanism to the development of political freedom and the promotion of a prosperous economy. The traumatic effect of two world worlds in the first half of the 20th century, and the subsequent post-war social revolution, is also examined. Bob Robinson sets out the meaning of identity through a study of national history and ancestry. This book uncovers the deep roots and profound values that have shaped the English nation for over a thousand years. It seeks to make sense of where England has come from, where it is now, and where it may be heading.
