Patriotism and the Post-Colonial Mind

2 Oct

Written By Inez Bodur

Many people from formerly colonised backgrounds live in Western nations such as the UK, where national pride and patriotism often centre around historical achievements rooted in empire and colonial conquest. For those whose ancestors were colonised, this presents a deep internal conflict.

Patriotism, in this context, becomes controversial because:

The same national pride that celebrates empire often ignores, downplays, or justifies the suffering that empire caused to others.
For people of formerly colonised backgrounds, there is a dual consciousness: gratitude or benefit from being in these nations (such as education, safety, or opportunity), but also a deep awareness that they or their families are here because their homelands were destabilised, impoverished, or violently reshaped by the colonial powers they now live among.
To support or display patriotism for such nations can feel like betraying their heritage, or supporting the very systems that harmed their ancestors.

This is not just emotional or subjective—it’s grounded in real, historical consequences.

📚 Historical Evidence That Explains This Viewpoint:

1. The British Empire’s Expansion Was Built on Exploitation

At its height, the British Empire ruled over a quarter of the world’s population and controlled massive portions of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
This wealth powered Britain’s development, but it was extracted through violence, resource plunder, and the destruction of indigenous societies.

Example:

India was the "jewel in the crown" of the British Empire. Yet, while Britain industrialised using Indian wealth, millions of Indians died in famines during British rule—famines worsened or even caused by colonial economic policies (e.g., 1943 Bengal famine).
Many Indian families in the UK today are only here because colonial policies disrupted their homelands.

2. The Caribbean: Slavery and Forced Migration

Britain was a major player in the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly removed millions of Africans to the Caribbean to work on plantations.
The wealth generated from slave labour helped build many cities in the UK—including parts of London, Bristol, and Liverpool.
After slavery was abolished, the formerly enslaved were left in poverty, while slave owners were compensated—not the victims.

Example:

The Windrush Generation (from the Caribbean, post-WWII) came to help rebuild Britain but were later subjected to racist immigration policies and the Windrush Scandal—showing how, even after contributing to Britain, they were still marginalised.
Many descendants of enslaved Africans now live in the UK, aware that their presence is due to a history of forced displacement.

3. African and Middle Eastern Colonisation and Its Legacies

British colonialism in Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, etc.) caused deep cultural, political, and social ruptures—many of which are still playing out today in conflict, corruption, or economic inequality.
British manipulation of borders and ethnic groups caused long-term instability (e.g., in Sudan or Nigeria).

🧠 The Psychological Effect: Why Patriotism Feels Fraught

Your insight that “if we support the thing that harmed us, maybe we will be harmed again” captures the protective distrust that many people inherit. Even if a person is a British citizen, pays taxes, and builds a life here, the memory of how Britain treated their people historically doesn’t just disappear.

This creates a subconscious resistance to patriotism. Why celebrate something that harmed your ancestors? Why wave a flag that once flew over enslaved people, colonised land, and stolen wealth?

In contrast, some white Britons may celebrate their heritage with pride, often unaware or dismissive of what that pride may signal to others. When this national pride ignores history or mocks the discomfort of others, it becomes a form of exclusion.

🌍 Living in a Multicultural City Like London

London is a global city shaped by empire. You see this in:

Street names (e.g., Clive Road – named after Robert Clive, a key figure in the colonisation of India)
Institutions (museums full of looted artefacts)
Architecture and wealth—often rooted in imperial exploitation

At the same time, it’s a city where diasporas have made their homes, contributed to culture, and helped build modern Britain. So there’s a paradox: you belong, but you may never be fully embraced unless Britain confronts its imperial past.

✅ Why Your Perspective Makes Sense

It acknowledges the deep psychological and historical conflict between being part of a nation and feeling alienated by its past.
It recognises that people from colonised backgrounds aren’t simply “ungrateful” or “unpatriotic”—they’re navigating the legacy of trauma and trying to reconcile a fractured identity.
It challenges a version of patriotism that is blind to history, and calls for a new kind of patriotism—one that is honest, inclusive, and reckons with the past.

🔁 So What Can Change?

To move forward, nations like the UK must:

Acknowledge and teach colonial history honestly (including in schools)
Understand why patriotism is painful for some, not shame them for it
Promote a new kind of national identity that values all its citizens equally—not just those who benefit from historical privilege

Inez Bodur

Patriotism and the Post-Colonial Mind

Many people from formerly colonised backgrounds live in Western nations such as the UK, where national pride and patriotism often centre around historical achievements rooted in empire and colonial conquest. For those whose ancestors were colonised, this presents a deep internal conflict.

Patriotism, in this context, becomes controversial because:

The same national pride that celebrates empire often ignores, downplays, or justifies the suffering that empire caused to others.

To support or display patriotism for such nations can feel like betraying their heritage, or supporting the very systems that harmed their ancestors.

This is not just emotional or subjective—it’s grounded in real, historical consequences.

📚 Historical Evidence That Explains This Viewpoint:

1. The British Empire’s Expansion Was Built on Exploitation

At its height, the British Empire ruled over a quarter of the world’s population and controlled massive portions of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

This wealth powered Britain’s development, but it was extracted through violence, resource plunder, and the destruction of indigenous societies.

Example:

India was the "jewel in the crown" of the British Empire. Yet, while Britain industrialised using Indian wealth, millions of Indians died in famines during British rule—famines worsened or even caused by colonial economic policies (e.g., 1943 Bengal famine).

Many Indian families in the UK today are only here because colonial policies disrupted their homelands.

2. The Caribbean: Slavery and Forced Migration

Britain was a major player in the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly removed millions of Africans to the Caribbean to work on plantations.

The wealth generated from slave labour helped build many cities in the UK—including parts of London, Bristol, and Liverpool.

After slavery was abolished, the formerly enslaved were left in poverty, while slave owners were compensated—not the victims.

Example:

The Windrush Generation (from the Caribbean, post-WWII) came to help rebuild Britain but were later subjected to racist immigration policies and the Windrush Scandal—showing how, even after contributing to Britain, they were still marginalised.

Many descendants of enslaved Africans now live in the UK, aware that their presence is due to a history of forced displacement.

3. African and Middle Eastern Colonisation and Its Legacies

British colonialism in Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, etc.) caused deep cultural, political, and social ruptures—many of which are still playing out today in conflict, corruption, or economic inequality.

British manipulation of borders and ethnic groups caused long-term instability (e.g., in Sudan or Nigeria).

🧠 The Psychological Effect: Why Patriotism Feels Fraught

This creates a subconscious resistance to patriotism. Why celebrate something that harmed your ancestors? Why wave a flag that once flew over enslaved people, colonised land, and stolen wealth?

In contrast, some white Britons may celebrate their heritage with pride, often unaware or dismissive of what that pride may signal to others. When this national pride ignores history or mocks the discomfort of others, it becomes a form of exclusion.

🌍 Living in a Multicultural City Like London

London is a global city shaped by empire. You see this in:

Street names (e.g., Clive Road – named after Robert Clive, a key figure in the colonisation of India)

Institutions (museums full of looted artefacts)

Architecture and wealth—often rooted in imperial exploitation

At the same time, it’s a city where diasporas have made their homes, contributed to culture, and helped build modern Britain. So there’s a paradox: you belong, but you may never be fully embraced unless Britain confronts its imperial past.

✅ Why Your Perspective Makes Sense

It acknowledges the deep psychological and historical conflict between being part of a nation and feeling alienated by its past.

It recognises that people from colonised backgrounds aren’t simply “ungrateful” or “unpatriotic”—they’re navigating the legacy of trauma and trying to reconcile a fractured identity.

It challenges a version of patriotism that is blind to history, and calls for a new kind of patriotism—one that is honest, inclusive, and reckons with the past.

🔁 So What Can Change?

To move forward, nations like the UK must:

Acknowledge and teach colonial history honestly (including in schools)

Understand why patriotism is painful for some, not shame them for it

Promote a new kind of national identity that values all its citizens equally—not just those who benefit from historical privilege

Attention Span

NDL