Russian Woman Journal

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Point of view

Monday 15 October 2007

DOUG R. (England)

Western Men

 I became interested in this phrase when reading correspondence and published letters written mainly by women in the former Russian Federation countries. Almost without exception they use the expression ‘western man’ as if there is only one type of man with one lifestyle.

Apparently;   ‘all western men are the same.’  Such women seem to have no concept of the variety of countries and cultures in the West.

Let me illustrate my point by two examples of small countries with small populations having completely different cultures, speech, lifestyles, food, drink and religions- all within one country and very small land area. 

 Although I am British, I am also Welsh. In Wales we have our own language (the oldest in Europe by the way) and our own culture. Most Welsh people regard themselves as different- even maybe superior to- English.

We have high regard for our Celt neighbours in Ireland. We feel much rapport with Irish people. Scottish people are also Celts and Scotland an individual country.

You might be surprised how all three nations are proud to be separate but consider themselves as British.

 Even within Wales there are marked differences between North and South, notably in speech accents. The north is agricultural so relatively poor. The south has much more industry and relatively rich.

 Other differences include sports games and religions. The north favour soccer football and the south rugby football. North Wales is influenced by the townships of Liverpool and Manchester.  South Wales is more orientated towards Birmingham and London.

These differences result from the topography. Communications- roads and railways-  have always been good from west to east, poor from north to south.

 Wales is famous for stunning scenery and glorious singing by famous choirs. We have a strong sense of local community, a high regard for music, poetry and literature. You may have heard of our world famous international festival- the Eisteddfod. This provides the first important public platform for many writers and musicians, for example Pavarotti, now so sadly in the news.

 The Welsh language is a phonetic one with similarities to Russian. Our history was not written down but passed on and preserved over centuries by words songs and play acting. Itinerant story tellers maintained our ancient history as they travelled around.

 Vigorous attempts made to suppress the Welsh language continued up to the Great War- 1914-1918. Children were forbidden to speak Welsh in state (Church-run) schools, and were punished if they did.

 This has not been forgotten today. At the time it helped unite Welsh people. It established a barrier between English and Welsh. Now it fuels the upsurge of Welsh language in everyday life, and made people more determined to strengthen their pride in feeling and ‘being Welsh’.

 Scottish people, known as Scots (NOT Scotch -that is the drink!) are further developing away from English Law and Government. They are renown for engineering abilities, business initiative and general financial acumen.

 They have preserved their characteristic folk music with songs accompanied by pipes and fiddles (A type of violin). One of the oldest known musical instruments is a set of bagpipes (shared with the Irish) now synonymous with Scotland. 

Scots also had their problems with the English. Scottish history includes a disgraceful period of English control when thousands of tenant families were forcibly removed from their smallholdings. The mainly English landowners preferred to farm more profitable sheep.  Families were evicted from house and land into destitution- or emigration to the new British colonies. 

Scots have a separate language- Gaelic. Although widely used in the western part of Scottish mainland and the outlying western isles, most Scots do not know or use it. 

Even within England substantial cultural differences go back many centuries.  Much related to Viking invasions. Draw a line from Bristol in the south west to Hull in the north east midlands. South of this line people have distinct behaviour and speech patterns. North of that line even the names of towns and villages reflect their original Norse basis. In spite of modern ease of travel, modern communications and so on, these differences persist.

Outsiders moving to those areas ignore such differences at their peril.

The Irish speak a version of Gaelic, but it is a different branch from Scottish Gaelic language and is not easily understood there.

Ireland is also an island. It was a normal part of the United Kingdom of Britain until the 1920’s  (after the 1914-1918 War.) The people accepted the common Law of Britain and regarded themselves as British.

Many factors including a desire for independence, religious differences and discrimination, resentment against landlords especially during a serious famine, had generated popular hostility towards the controlling administration.

After an armed uprising a political settlement was reached whereby Southern Ireland became a separate Republic with the name of Eire.

Most parts of Northern Ireland remained legally within the original United Kingdom structure.

Eire was mainly an agricultural economy. Most Irish industry was in the north. Politicians presumably expected Eire would want to return to the United Kingdom eventually for economic reasons.

This did not happen. Eire still harbours old resentments against England and anything English.

 

Other European Differences.

Since Britain joined the European Union local entities were encouraged by Brussels bureaucracy to loosen central- London- control and replace it with some sort of regional or local government. The effect would be to increase the power of the EU over British affairs.

Scotland was the first to have its own parliament with specific areas of control and finance with long standing legal differences.  Wales has its own parliament with different values but the same Legal structure and Law as England.

Independent Eire has taken full advantage of the European Union. Their economy has seized and gained substantially from opportunities provided by joining the EU.

The major religion of most countries in Europe is Roman Catholicism. The alternative in some countries is one or other forms of Protestantism.

Modern Europe has these two major divisions of religion and culture, with many smaller divisions based on languages.

Europe includes several examples of artificial countries, held together as single entities by artificial bureaucratic force. Czechoslovakia has now split into Slovenia and the Czech Republic with their own languages and cultures. The unnatural strains resulted in the final split.

One country with these problems is Belgium. This small state has only existed about 180 years. Almost the only unifying element seems to be a King. Belgium is otherwise famous for chocolates, chips and beer.

A clear fissure is developing between the northern Dutch-speaking Protestants and the southern French-speaking Catholics. Each uses their own language in their everyday life. They watch their own TV, read their own language newspapers, talk in their own language, and so on. There is very little social contact or intermingling.

At the time of writing there are strong political moves for a formal split, as with Czechoslovakia.

 

Why is Britain different?

Historical reasons for differences within Britain remain strong and maybe are even growing, but why is Britain so united against the outside world?.

 

Successful Trading.

Britain is a relatively small country with a relatively small population, but all speaking the same language, having common establishments such as Army, Navy and legal system.

The legal system is based on ‘what happened before?’ as opposed to having everything written down and specified. The British are acknowledged to be pragmatists- meaning ‘does it work?’

Ever since being formed as a United Kingdom it has had power and influence well beyond what should be expected. At one time The British Empire included over half the population of the world. It was said the ‘The Sun never sets on the British Empire.’

This Empire was built on successful trading. One need was a massive merchant navy. British ships carried the merchandise and sailed under the protection of the Royal Navy. If any British ship or even seaman got into trouble the Royal navy or other Brits could be relied upon for unconditional help.

Even today this community feeling for another British brother still holds. Britain retains an obstinate attitude towards the outside world of wishing to retain these traditions.

 

Military Causes.

For example have you wondered why traffic in Britain drives on the left side of the road and most other countries drive on the right? The reason, as usual, can be found in history.

In the days of horses, those with money travelled on horseback and the rest walked. Most men are right handed therefore used that right hand to hold a sword. When two horsemen passed on the road it was natural to keep to the left because that gave their right arm easy access to their sword, if necessary. It became normal for approaching riders to pass each other on the left of the road.

This became a type of abeyance by walkers towards horsemen, accepting the walkers’ lower social standing.

The French Revolution 1789 reversed this attitude. The poorer classes were now in control and were forceful in making sure everyone knew it. ‘The peasant was as good as his master.’   Horse riders were no longer ‘superior rich landowning people’.

When Napoleon came to power he decreed that all traffic would be on the right, thus acknowledging this change of social relationships in France.  As Napoleon expanded the French Empire this traffic law became the norm throughout the conquered lands.

Today it is symbolic; only in those countries conquered by Napoleon does traffic drive on the right.

 

Foundations of Power.

Dissolution of the Monasteries.

You may have heard of the British King, Henry the Eighth?

He was famous for having many wives, but his serious importance to the United Kingdom of Great Britain was how he replaced the existing system of loose regional control by a strong centralist dictatorship based on him and London.

His first serious step was the removal of Roman Catholic church and religion from British life. The King insisted that all British citizens accept his sole supreme authority. This included religious matters.

He established an independent Church of England. British people would not have a divided loyalty or choice between King or Pope.

He seized all Catholic property, abbeys, churches and land. This involved nearly 650 ecclesiastic establishments. One third of these were simply destroyed and their rental income transferred to the King. Another third of the structures gradually fell into disrepair, having lost their supporting land income. The remainder were given by the King to his supporters.

He used this wealth to create strong central government independent of all European influence. Since religion was an important part of everyday living, the local church and priests held considerable power -second only to the local landowner.

King Henry laid the foundations for future immense expansion and strength of British economy. As an island with a coastline of over 10,000 miles (14,000 kms) the sea was always important for British trade and food supplies, hence the importance of establishing the British Royal Navy. The later successful British Empire was based on foundations laid down by Henry the Eighth and developed by his daughter Queen Elisabeth.

To defend this island base he spent a great deal on building substantial new fortifications to protect his ports against retaliation from the catholic nations notably Spain.

This desire to control their own destiny without foreign interference has remained deep in the psyche of British people. Maybe this question of divided loyalty on religious grounds is re-emerging as a modern quandary for Moslems.

 

European Lifestyles.

Within Europe the Protestant religion is strongest in Britain, Denmark and Sweden, parts of Holland and North Germany.  Although France is basically Catholic there are some regions where a Protestant culture survives.

America was part of the British Empire. Is there any difference of lifestyles today?

One of the many strengths of life in Europe compared to that of the modern United States is the variety of available lifestyles.  If you were blindfolded and abandoned in the main street of most American towns you could not guess where you were simply by looking at the businesses or buildings. Each town has the same used car dealers, fast food outlets, petrol stations, banks, probably one supermarket. Whatever town you are in those same faces will be what you see. 

Few Americans have a passport. An incredibly small number have even been out of their immediate area or town. They have very little interest in anything or anyone outside the immediate interests.

I live south of London.  By car or train or aircraft in a few hours I can be in France where they speak French, Belgium where they speak French or Walloon, Holland where they speak Dutch, Denmark where they speak Danish, Germany where they speak German.  All have their own food, drink, way of life, culture etc etc.

So I hope I have convinced you, dear reader, there is no such thing as  ‘A Western Man.’

We are all different and plan to stay that way for a very long time.

DOUG R. (England)

Published in Woman's Magazine Russian Woman Journal  www.russianwomanjournal.com -  15 October 2007

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