Linda Colley's "Briton Forging the Nation: 1707-1837"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and summarizes Linda Colley's "Briton Forging the Nation: 1707-1837". The paper describes Colley concerns in the book, amongst other things, about the overemphasis of historical study of British identity during 1707-1837. The author goes on to discuss Colley's examination of the history of the period and her psychohistorical interpretation of the self destruction and erosion of British patrician life. The paper explains why Colley thinks that the social upheaval in Britain at the time is necessary in order to generate a truer sense of British identity and values.

From the Paper:

"Britain went through a specific and intensive period of socio-cultural differentiation within society 1707-1837. Those concerned with the progression of British identity saw the island nation's identity being too dependent on commercial interests and perceived social revolutions of ideas that were encouraging debate and turmoil within society, instead of unity. While this initially might be considered healthy debate in the development of the Democratic society of free-flowing ideas, Colley expresses concerns that the original fundamental base of British identity was being convoluted, due to introduction to British society of too outside influences that where overemphasized."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Colley, Linda. Britons: Forging the Nation, 1707-1837. London: Yale University Press, 1992.
• Hobsbawm, Eric, ed. The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
• Kearney, Hugh. The British Isles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1995.

More papers on Linda Colley's "Briton Forging the Nation: 1707-1837":

• Essay # 65604 : "Britons: Forging the Nation, 1707-1837"
• Book Review # 122888 : "Britons: Forging the Nation 1707 to 1837" - A Review"
• Book Review # 4470 : "A Review of Linda Colley's "Britons"

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