ABSTRACT
Britain is a composite nation, a patchwork of anomalies, mistakes and inconsistencies. It has a standing army but not a football team. New and Old Britain do still inhabit the same isles, and sometimes they cooperate —the outpouring of grief over Lady Diana's death in 1997. Schoolchildren in Britain invariably learn of the Roman conquest launched by Julius Caesar in 55 BC, and of Queen Boadicea's brave resistance and death. While the 1960s revolt was happening, British schools still essentially taught a version of history, of British heritage and Britain's place in the world, that many see as shamelessly backward and irresolutely colonialist. Social and political analysts are not seers, and while Old and New Britain have their apologists and detractors, it is the case that something truly British manages to unite them, and that is the British political system. Tourist Britain is Old Britain, and it relies upon past glories and symbols of crown, empire, and culture.
