Monday 23 June 2008 - United Kingdom Parliament: Fill & Download for Free

Not at all, but almost nobody would have any clue what were talking about. Now, if you were to say “Happy August 24th”, the day the British burnt down The White House, even fewer would recognise the date, but mention November 5th and November 11th and everyone will understand what you were talking about.In other words, people outside the USA don’t really care about your special days, as they all have their own.By the way, if you are not American, would you consider it a faux pas if someone from one of the countries listed below wished you “Happy Independence Day” on their national days?AfghanistanIndependence Day, 19 August (1919)AlbaniaIndependence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag DayAlgeriaRevolution Day, 1 November (1954)American SamoaFlag Day, 17 April (1900)AndorraOur Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)AngolaIndependence Day, 11 November (1975)AnguillaAnguilla Day, 30 May (1967)Antigua and BarbudaIndependence Day, 1 November (1981)ArgentinaRevolution Day (May Revolution Day), 25 May (1810)ArmeniaIndependence Day, 21 September (1991)ArubaNational Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)AustraliaAustralia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)AustriaNational Day (commemorates passage of the law on permanent neutrality), 26 October (1955)AzerbaijanRepublic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)Bahamas, TheIndependence Day, 10 July (1973)BahrainNational Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protectionBangladeshIndependence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December (Victory Day) memorializes the military victory over Pakistan and the official creation of the state of BangladeshBarbadosIndependence Day, 30 November (1966)BelarusIndependence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet UnionBelgiumBelgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831)BelizeBattle of St. George's Caye Day (National Day), 10 September (1798); Independence Day, 21 September (1981)BeninIndependence Day, 1 August (1960)BermudaBermuda Day, 24 May; note - formerly known as Victoria Day, Empire Day, and Commonwealth DayBhutanNational Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)BoliviaIndependence Day, 6 August (1825)Bosnia and HerzegovinaIndependence Day, 1 March (1992) and Statehood Day, 25 November (1943) - both observed in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity; Victory Day, 9 May (1945) and Dayton Agreement Day, 21 November (1995) - both observed in the Republika Srpska entitynote: there is no national-level holidayBotswanaIndependence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)BrazilIndependence Day, 7 September (1822)British Virgin IslandsTerritory Day, 1 July (1956)BruneiNational Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protectionBulgariaLiberation Day, 3 March (1878)Burkina FasoRepublic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French CommunityBurmaIndependence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)BurundiIndependence Day, 1 July (1962)Cabo VerdeIndependence Day, 5 July (1975)CambodiaIndependence Day, 9 November (1953)CameroonState Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)CanadaCanada Day, 1 July (1867)Cayman IslandsConstitution Day, first Monday in July (1959)Central African RepublicRepublic Day, 1 December (1958)ChadIndependence Day, 11 August (1960)ChileIndependence Day, 18 September (1810)ChinaNational Day (anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)Christmas IslandAustralia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)Cocos (Keeling) IslandsAustralia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788)ColombiaIndependence Day, 20 July (1810)ComorosIndependence Day, 6 July (1975)Congo, Democratic Republic of theIndependence Day, 30 June (1960)Congo, Republic of theIndependence Day, 15 August (1960)Cook IslandsConstitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)Costa RicaIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)Cote d'IvoireIndependence Day, 7 August (1960)CroatiaIndependence Day, 8 October (1991) and Statehood Day, 25 June (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with YugoslaviaCubaTriumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959)CuracaoKing's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a SundayCyprusIndependence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as "Republic Day"CzechiaCzechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)DenmarkConstitution Day, 5 June (1849); note - closest equivalent to a national holidayDjiboutiIndependence Day, 27 June (1977)DominicaIndependence Day, 3 November (1978)Dominican RepublicIndependence Day, 27 February (1844)EcuadorIndependence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)EgyptRevolution Day, 23 July (1952)El SalvadorIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)Equatorial GuineaIndependence Day, 12 October (1968)EritreaIndependence Day, 24 May (1991)EstoniaIndependence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet UnionEthiopiaDerg Downfall Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)European UnionEurope Day (also known as Schuman Day), 9 May (1950); note - the day in 1950 that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of what became the European Coal and Steel Community, the progenitor of today's European Union, with the aim of achieving a united EuropeFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)Faroe IslandsOlaifest (Olavsoka) (commemorates the death in battle of King Olaf II of Norway, later St. Olaf), 29 July (1030)FijiFiji (Independence) Day, 10 October (1970)FinlandIndependence Day, 6 December (1917)FranceFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)French PolynesiaFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880)GabonIndependence Day, 17 August (1960)Gambia, TheIndependence Day, 18 February (1965)GeorgiaIndependence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet UnionGermanyUnity Day, 3 October (1990)GhanaIndependence Day, 6 March (1957)GibraltarNational Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or join SpainGreeceIndependence Day, 25 March (1821)GreenlandNational Day, June 21; note - marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern HemisphereGrenadaIndependence Day, 7 February (1974)GuamDiscovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521)GuatemalaIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)GuernseyLiberation Day, 9 May (1945)Guinea-BissauIndependence Day, 24 September (1973)GuineaIndependence Day, 2 October (1958)GuyanaRepublic Day, 23 February (1970)HaitiIndependence Day, 1 January (1804)Holy See (Vatican City)Election Day of Pope FRANCIS, 13 March (2013)HondurasIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)Hong KongNational Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment DayHungarySaint Stephen's Day, 20 August (1083); note - commemorates his cannonization and the transfer of his remains to Buda (now Budapest) in 1083IcelandIndependence Day, 17 June (1944)IndiaRepublic Day, 26 January (1950)IndonesiaIndependence Day, 17 August (1945)IranRepublic Day, 1 April (1979)IraqIndependence Day, 3 October (1932); Republic Day, 14 July (1958)IrelandSaint Patrick's Day, 17 March; note - marks the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, during the latter half of the fifth century A.D. (most commonly cited years are c. 461 and c. 493); although Saint Patrick's feast day was celebrated in Ireland as early as the ninth century, it only became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903Isle of ManTynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recordedIsraelIndependence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or MayItalyRepublic Day, 2 June (1946)JamaicaIndependence Day, 6 August (1962)JapanBirthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933); note - celebrates the birthday of the current emperorJerseyLiberation Day, 9 May (1945)JordanIndependence Day, 25 May (1946)KazakhstanIndependence Day, 16 December (1991)KenyaJamhuri Day (Independence Day), 12 December (1963); note - Madaraka Day, 1 June (1963) marks the day Kenya attained internal self-ruleKiribatiIndependence Day, 12 July (1979)Korea, NorthFounding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948)Korea, SouthLiberation Day, 15 August (1945)KosovoIndependence Day, 17 February (2008)KuwaitNational Day, 25 February (1950)KyrgyzstanIndependence Day, 31 August (1991)LaosRepublic Day (National Day), 2 December (1975)LatviaIndependence Day (Republic of Latvia Proclamation Day), 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia established its statehood and its concomitant independence from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of Latvian statehood and its concomitant independence from the Soviet UnionLebanonIndependence Day, 22 November (1943)LesothoIndependence Day, 4 October (1966)LiberiaIndependence Day, 26 July (1847)LibyaLiberation Day, 23 October (2011)LiechtensteinNational Day, 15 August (1940); note - a National Day was originally established in 1940 to combine celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) with those honoring the birthday of former Prince Franz Josef II (1906-1989) whose birth fell on 16 August; after the prince's death, National Day became the official national holiday by law in 1990LithuaniaIndependence Day (or National Day), 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania established its statehood and its concomitant independence from Soviet Russia and Germany; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared the restoration of Lithuanian statehood and its concomitant independence from the Soviet UnionLuxembourgNational Day (Birthday of Grand Duke HENRI), 23 June; note - this date of birth is not the true date of birth for any of the Royals, but the national festivities were shifted in 1962 to allow observance during a more favorable time of yearMacauNational Day (anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December (1999) is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment DayMacedoniaIndependence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National DayMadagascarIndependence Day, 26 June (1960)MalawiIndependence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)MalaysiaIndependence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)MaldivesIndependence Day, 26 July (1965)MaliIndependence Day, 22 September (1960)MaltaIndependence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)Marshall IslandsConstitution Day, 1 May (1979)MauritaniaIndependence Day, 28 November (1960)MauritiusIndependence and Republic Day, 12 March (1968 & 1992); note - became independent and a republic on the same date in 1968 and 1992 respectivelyMexicoIndependence Day, 16 September (1810)Micronesia, Federated States ofConstitution Day, 10 May (1979)MoldovaIndependence Day, 27 August (1991)MonacoNational Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)MongoliaNaadam (games) holiday (commemorates independence from China in the 1921 Revolution), 11-15 July; Constitution Day (marks the date that the Mongolian People's Republic was created under a new constitution), 26 November (1924)MontenegroNational Day, 13 July (1878, the day the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world, and 1941, the day the Montenegrins staged an uprising against fascist occupiers and sided with the partisan communist movement)Montserratbirthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)MoroccoThrone Day (accession of King MOHAMMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)MozambiqueIndependence Day, 25 June (1975)NamibiaIndependence Day, 21 March (1990)NauruIndependence Day, 31 January (1968)NepalRepublic Day, 28 May (2008); note - marks the abdication of Gyanendra SHAH, the last Nepalese monarch, and the establishment of a federal republicNetherlandsKing's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a SundayNew CaledoniaFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)New ZealandWaitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)NicaraguaIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)NigeriaIndependence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)NigerRepublic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960NiueWaitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)Norfolk IslandBounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856)Northern Mariana IslandsCommonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)NorwayConstitution Day, 17 May (1814)OmanNational Day, 18 November; note - coincides with the birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)PakistanPakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of PakistanPalauConstitution Day, 9 July (1981), day of a national referendum to pass the new constitution; Independence Day, 1 October (1994)PanamaIndependence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)Papua New GuineaIndependence Day, 16 September (1975)ParaguayIndependence Day, 14-15 May (1811) (observed 15 May)PeruIndependence Day, 28-29 July (1821)PhilippinesIndependence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from the USPitcairn IslandsBirthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926); Discovery Day (Pitcairn Day), 2 July (1767)PolandConstitution Day, 3 May (1791)PortugalPortugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) diedPuerto RicoUS Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)QatarNational Day, 18 December (1878), anniversary of Al Thani family accession to the throne; Independence Day, 3 September (1971)RomaniaUnification Day (unification of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)RussiaRussia Day, 12 June (1990)RwandaIndependence Day, 1 July (1962)Saint BarthelemyFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572)Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da CunhaBirthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, third Monday in April (1926)Saint Kitts and NevisIndependence Day, 19 September (1983)Saint LuciaIndependence Day, 22 February (1979)Saint MartinFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)Saint Pierre and MiquelonFete de la Federation, 14 July (1790)Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesIndependence Day, 27 October (1979)SamoaIndependence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, but it is observed in JuneSan MarinoFounding of the Republic (or Feast of Saint Marinus), 3 September (A.D. 301)Sao Tome and PrincipeIndependence Day, 12 July (1975)Saudi ArabiaSaudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932)SenegalIndependence Day, 4 April (1960)SerbiaNational Day (Statehood Day), 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adoptedSeychellesConstitution Day, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976)Sierra LeoneIndependence Day, 27 April (1961)SingaporeNational Day, 9 August (1965)Sint MaartenKing's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a SundaySlovakiaConstitution Day, 1 September (1992)SloveniaIndependence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)Solomon IslandsIndependence Day, 7 July (1978)SomaliaFoundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in SomalilandSouth AfricaFreedom Day, 27 April (1994)South SudanIndependence Day, 9 July (2011)SpainNational Day (Hispanic Day), 12 October (1492); note - commemorates COLUMBUS' arrival in the AmericasSri LankaIndependence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)SudanIndependence Day, 1 January (1956)SurinameIndependence Day, 25 November (1975)SwazilandIndependence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)SwedenNational Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag DaySwitzerlandFounding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National DaySyriaIndependence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946); note - celebrates the leaving of the last French troops and the proclamation of full independenceTaiwanRepublic Day (National Day), 10 October (1911); note - celebrates the anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, also known as Double Ten (10-10) DayTajikistanIndependence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)TanzaniaUnion Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)ThailandBirthday of King Maha VAJIRALONGKORN, 28 July (1952)Timor-LesteRestoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)TogoIndependence Day, 27 April (1960)TokelauWaitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)TongaOfficial Birthday of King TUPOU VI, 4 July (1959); note - actual birthday of the monarch is 12 July 1959; 4 July (2015) is the day the king was crowned; Constitution Day (National Day), 4 November (1875)Trinidad and TobagoIndependence Day, 31 August (1962)TunisiaIndependence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)TurkeyRepublic Day, 29 October (1923)TurkmenistanIndependence Day, 27 October (1991)Turks and Caicos IslandsBirthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in JuneTuvaluIndependence Day, 1 October (1978)UgandaIndependence Day, 9 October (1962)UkraineIndependence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence from Soviet Russia, and the date the short-lived Western and Greater (Eastern) Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity DayUnited Arab EmiratesIndependence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)United Kingdomthe UK does not celebrate one particular national holidayUnited StatesIndependence Day, 4 July (1776)UruguayIndependence Day, 25 August (1825)UzbekistanIndependence Day, 1 September (1991)VanuatuIndependence Day, 30 July (1980)VenezuelaIndependence Day, 5 July (1811)VietnamIndependence Day (National Day), 2 September (1945)Virgin IslandsTransfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)Wallis and FutunaBastille Day, 14 July (1789)YemenUnification Day, 22 May (1990)ZambiaIndependence Day, 24 October (1964)ZimbabweIndependence Day, 18 April (1980)

Being BIG is important to the perceived British Psyche; whereas being fAIR is important to the French psyche.ENGLISH (BRITISH) PSYCHEIn terms of identity, there is a tendency of some confusion; for are they firstly: English or, Scottish or, Welsh, Northern Irish or British/or, and British; or/and the principal component of the United Kingdom, or simply, part of the British empire, or all three at once and the same time, or a permutation of: When they were masters of the seas, and could travel round the world without setting foot outside imperial territory, and economically the empire was theirs, and potentially at least were self-sufficient. However, when they were the leading nation, they of course dealt with no one on equal terms. They were characterless apart from being supremely arrogant, because they never met anybody who could impose a character on them:While Ireland, Wales, and Scotland became, for the English, slightly comic regions of ‘Britain’, ‘England’ became for them the sentimental ideal of ‘home’, the image of the green and pleasant mother-country that concealed the brutal realities of empire from its agents and possessed nothing so sordid as distinct political or economic interests of its own.The destruction by the USA of the British empire, after its finest hour in 1940, was a traumatic blow to the psyche of two English generations, from which they have never recovered, largely because they have never recognized it. The psychoanalysts, Alexander and Margarete Mitscherlich, famously attributed various collective psychological traits of post-war Germany to an ‘inability to mourn’, an inability to recognize how much emotion they had invested in the love of their fuhrer, to mourn his passing, and so, to escape from his influence.Similarly, it could be said the English (British) have been unable to recognize how much of their society and its norms was constructed during the imperial period and in order to sustain empire. They have therefore been unable to mourn the empire’s passing or to escape from the compulsion to recreate it. Over three centuries the needs of empire have shaped England’s systems of government, national and local, its Church, its schools and universities, the traditions of its armed and police forces, its youth movements, its sports, its BBC, its literature, and its cuisine.The end of empire meant the end of all this. And because England has been unable to acknowledge that loss, it has also been unable to acknowledge the end of English exceptionalism, the end of the lack of, and indeed need of true character the English had enjoyed as rulers of the world – therefore, with no need to have distinct features to mark them off and distinguish them from their equals since they had no equals - there was no such thing! Embodying, as they did, the decency, reasonableness and good sense by which they assumed the rest of the world privately measured its lesser achievements and to which they assumed it aspired.The trauma of lost exceptionalism, the psychic legacy of empire, haunts the English (British) to the present day, in the illusion that their country needs to find itself a global role. Of course it is an illusion: for do roughly comparable countries, such as Germany or Italy or Japan have such a need?Putin’s Russia does of course, but Russia suffers from the same trauma of imperial amputation, and there are traces of it too in the French defence of worldwide Francophile language or perhaps, franco-phoney? The traumatic loss is all but explicitly acknowledged in the repeated demand -particularly by its politicians -that Britain should ‘punch above its weight around the world and that Britain is the greatest, that we lead the world, we are the best at, nobody else comes anywhere near us, et al.So why are the British so discontent with their ‘lot;’ with their size and weight? Why don’t they, live within our means, and just cultivate their rather splendid garden rather than make themselves rather ridiculous - like little Vladimir fanatically developing his biceps in the corner of the gym?Ever since Margaret Thatcher met with Ronald Reagan, Britain has tried to replicate or even emulate America in respect of size: In its road haulage, its industry, its financial services, its retail parks, its businesses, its industrial developments, its fast-food, its shopping malls to name just a few of the areas that must be big and ever bigger. Big and bigger is deep within the American psyche (it is now deep within the British psyche too) - America, principally, to over-compensate for it’s lack of depth of history, architecture and culture. But its land mass is admittedly vast compared to that of Britain. Which really has no need to regret its own extraordinary depth of many of the things for which America simply would ideally give almost anything if they could do this. in the absence of it being possible; so the area of Big and wishing to dominate everything is the only thing left for them.Britain is a relatively small island nation which has had an illustrious heritage, it has beautiful scenic countryside, and a people that in the past behaved with propriety and integrity that was the admiration of the world. They were then, generally respected as being a fair and just people of considerable creativity and scientific invention. Bigness was not part of that psyche, and Britain does not fit in with being big and wanting to be ever bigger. The only way now, that they can show financial and commercial success, is by resorting to fraud and corruption, but still continuing the pretense that they are whiter-than-white, and above such things. Our governments (not to lose face) have since had to join in this deception of the mass of the people by sheer manipulation of the true facts and figures, assisted by the wealth extractors of the country and the right-wing press. This has inevitably led to divisive policies and an exponential degree of inequality.The psychosis; the willed triumph of illusion over reality, revealed by recent events is most damaging and still at work in the determination of the (English) British, but specifically in this instance, that of the English, to cling on to their old exceptional status as anonymous masters of the United Kingdom and of the other nations with which they have to share the Atlantic Archipelago.For the English (British), the United Kingdom occupies the psychic space once filled by the empire: it is the last guarantor of their lack of an identifiable character, it is the phantom which in the English mind substitutes for the England which the English will not acknowledge is their only home. They will not acknowledge this, lest they become just another nation like everybody else, with a specific, limited identity, a specific history, neither specially honourable nor especially dishonourable, with limited weight, limited resources, and limited importance in the world now that their empire is no more.That is the terrifying truth from which for centuries the empire insulated them: that they now have to live in the world on an equal footing with other people. From that truth they seek shelter in the thought that really they belong not to England at all but to something much more imposing, or at least different: the UK, or, less accurately, ‘Britain’, within which they can cocoon the non-identity they took on in 1707 as the imperial adventure was beginning.English nationalism is part of the British psyche that dare not speak its name. To acknowledge that it exists to minister to a specifically English anxiety would be to break England out of the UK on which the English depend to protect themselves from reality – the reality that a nation with three-quarters of one per cent of the world’s population cannot claim significant, let alone exceptional, global status, and cannot survive on its own.The British are perhaps intrinsically aware that they now need a protector, but are somehow unable to perceive and appreciate that they were already within such an ideal protective entity. Perhaps this is due to them not fully understanding that they are indeed a nation if only a relatively small one, in a world of conflicting giants.Hag-ridden by their inability to assimilate their imperial past, by their failure of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, the English refuse to think of or accept themselves as a nation in the same sense as Scotland or Ireland and have constructed a constitution for their United Kingdom which denies the obvious. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all have their variously titled national assemblies, but England has none – not out of self-effacing modesty nor out of an altruistic desire to spare taxpayers the cost of supporting another stratum of politicians, but in order to claim for itself the exceptional position of anonymous master of its now diminutive empire.The absence of a separate English parliament reduces the nations granted devolved assemblies to the marginal status the English gave them in the days of glory, as those slightly comical regional variations on a British-ness of which England – invisible and characterless in itself – was therefore alone representative. Decisions taken by ‘the British people don’t really click because ‘the British people’ do not exist: ‘the people’ is not a meaningful political concept and ‘Britain’ is a figment invented by the English to disguise their oppressive, indeed colonial, relation to the other nations inhabiting Great Britain and Ireland. But because the English are still wedded to the lack of identity they enjoyed in the imperial era, and so, have no real sense of equality with others, or indeed, responsibility towards them, the most important issues of the day are happily sidelined or ignored.Like other small and medium-sized actors on the world stage, the European states are not sovereign independent agents. Their attempts to define themselves as such have, in the era before the EU, always led to violence and war. By their submission to jointly authorized supranational institutions they have found a way of growing together which has given them peace and prosperity and has been an example to the world. The European project is not complete and is not intended to be: the union is only to be ‘ever closer’; there is no specified political or institutional goal, let alone a conspiracy to set up a ‘super-state’. (As a proportion of GDP, the European budget would have to be nearly 50 times larger than it is for the Union to qualify as a state in the same sense as its members.).England (Britain) does not comprehend this, or perhaps their people would rather wish it would disappear for good. But no, that would never do, for - the economy stupid! And all the other things of which they want to be an integral part. But on the other hand, they don’t want exactly that either. So what do they want? But surely that is what being British is all about; for they don’t really know what they want and also what they don’t want. They don’t really want to be the leading corrupt financialization country of the globe, through their sewer money-laundering capital of London. For that doesn’t seem at all right. But if they don’t continue with the status quo, what do they do. They have to do something to justify being Britain - but what?England (Britain) has never wanted to join in the process of growing together, not because it rejects the goal of a ‘super-state’, which exists only in England’s fearful imagination, but because it rejects the idea of collaborating with equals – it doesn’t want to be just another member of a team, for then it would have to recognize that it has after all an identity of its own. But not what it likes to pretend it is.In recent times, an outgrowth of English narcissism, has in itself been disrespectful of others, of our allies, partners, neighbours, friends, and, in many cases, even relatives. Like resentful ruffians uprooting the new trees in the park and trashing the new play, because they are resentful of those nations and people that are happy and confident with their accepted identityTwo pillars of the unwritten British constitution collapsed on June 23. The sovereignty of the Westminster parliament was seriously challenged, and possibly overturned, by a referendum that should never have been called. And the attempt of the Unions of 1707 and 1800 to create a single British nation to rule a global empire was finally shown up as a self-deceptive device by the English to deny the Scots and the Irish a will of their own.Any recovery from this collective mental breakdown will involve treating both these symptoms, in the light of their deep historical causes. Specifically, the role of parliaments in the United Kingdom will have to be reconstructed so as to give England at last the distinctive adult political identity it has shunned for a 300 yearscan, and also, how it can survive in the world of tomorrow, without that is; continuation of its fraudulent dealings and corrupt financializaton, as the only way to prevent it from relative obscurity and in sinking below the waves of global acknowledgement.FRENCH PSYCHEThey think it is more important to protect the weakest than to encourage the strongestPerhaps this is why there are so many social programs and benefits paid by companies, despite weighing on their profitability. This is why education is quasi-free for everybody. Business people or taxpayers may complain about it as a matter of course. But in fact, the whole French society supports it, quite contrary to that of the American and British method, The French do not think that it is (only) the responsibility of a person to protect himself / herself. This is why the majority of the French do not think that the market economy is a viable system for the future.They do not want to make (what they consider) "unearned money" : Only in France! Can you imagine a British (English) estate agent or American real estate agent who refuses a mandate to sell a house because he thinks that it is a wonderful family home? an example from a letter to the daily newspaper Liberation (Sept.30, 2004) : "Four years ago, I bought an apartment in Paris, in the XXth ; I need now a bigger one but the price has doubled. I have always voted for the left-wing and I would like to sell it for the price I bought it but I cannot afford it because I need the money for a new one. At this price, I'll have to sell it to a wealthy person: It is very unfair that real estate values have doubled and not salaries, and I think the government should keep the price from going up".Another example : in Sept. 2005, the unions of the SNCF (the French train operator) refused to sign a contract proposed by the company, which offered to share the profit between the company and the employees. Reason : a state-owned company must not make any profit and it would be immoral to share the profit (it is fair to say that many SNCF workers were very mad at their unions....).Alain Peyrefitte tells the following story : when he was the Minister of Scientific Research, he organized a party in the honour of French physicist Alfred Kastler who had just been awarded a Nobel prize for the discovery of optical pumping which led to the laser. Someone said : " Too bad he did not patent it : he would be rich by now " and a young brilliant scientist retorted " It proves that he is honest ". For this reason, many scientists refused the very principle of a bonus for the best achievements. In January 2007, a petition was set up and signed by more than 3,000 prominent artists, writers, curators, etc... to protest the new policy of the major French museums (the Louvre, Pompidou, etc..) to develop a cooperation with foreign museums (Atlanta) or countries (Abu Dhabi) and raise money by renting them some of the thousands of pieces they have. The argument : it is shocking to sell or rent a work of art.They don't want rich foreigners to subsidize their health system :The French are not impressed by winners ! They prefer the friendly small (shop, for instance) to the the cold big department store), the nice loser to the arrogant winner (in the 1960s the most popular bike champion Raymond Poulidor never won a race and the winner was always Jacques Anquetil : the former was - and still is- loved, the latter was hated : too boring).« if it changes, it must change everywhere...» : experiencing change is unthinkable if not everywhere : this is why, in the name of equality, regional powers cannot experience anything if it is not a general rule.It's Houdini, not Thatcher," writes The Economist, "France is spectacularly good at saying NON.... but behind the scene, more quietly and with no discernible romance, France can and does say OUI. In Germany and Scandinavia, change happens after considerable debate and lengthy analysis. In France by contrast, it tends to be convulsive and born of conflict : one violent leap backward followed by two surreptitious steps forward.".Best examples of the attitude toward change The Left against the Left to avoid any change : In March 2016, the (Socialist) government was trying to pass a law which was a very limited attempt to simplify labors laws (the Labor Code Book has more than 3,000 pages) and limits certain rules which deter employers to hire more staff because they fear that it would be too difficult and too costly to lay them off if needed. All the workers unions, a large part of the Socialist party, all the other parties of the Left wing agreed on only one thing : do NOT change the Labor Laws.Change is unpopular : Sarkozy had appointed Jacques Attali (a Socialist advisor to former president Mitterand), to identify the main obstacles to economic growth in the French society ; he submitted his report Jan.23, 2008 with 316 propositions ; as always lazy, prejudiced and incompetent, the French press mentions only the most anecdotal ones (like suppressing the obligation of a license for hairdressers) or the 3 of them President Sarkozy did not agree with (like suppressing the "department", one of the SEVEN layers of local authorities). Nobody discussed if the propositions were good or bad but only who would be against them. Then .... nothing happened!In 2000, tens of thousands of high school students marched in the streets to protest against a project of changing the baccalaureate which was to replace this 3 or 4-day nation-wide exam (passed by more than 80%...) by a single validation of the grades of the school year. Reason : it would not be a national and anonymous exam and therefore equality would not be guaranteed. The project was dropped.French galantry is not machismo : if you are a woman, and a Frenchman holds a door open for you, helps you put on your coat or serves you wine, DO NOT rebuke him ! He is trying to be nice, respectful and courteous and you would offend him seriously if you slam the door in his face,They like a mutually-dependent fair relationship : in France, everything depends on the relationship you have (or have not) built For instance, when you share the bill in a restaurant, Americans always go into detail, so everyone pays exactly for what he/she had : nobody owes anything to anybody. The French do not accept this but consider it the sign of sheer miserliness : if you divide by the number of guests, some will get more, some less.They see plots everywhere : The French see a plot in everything and never believe what they are told ;The French, who pride themselves on being " logical ", are profoundly unrealistic and passionate. " We express ourselves logically in order to explain the illogical things that we do ". Among many examples, they value :Being different : they do not feel uncomfortable being alone against everybody else (they would not think " maybe the others are right ") and do not value consensusBeing synthetic (as opposed to analytic) : they do not like "weighing pros and cons" : it is mediocre. They prefer broad ideas and the big picture.Being " grands seigneurs " : in many situations (when prestige or image are at stake), money is not an issue and they do not like to share bills the way Americans do.Being negative : criticizing is valued and praising is not : it could lead the praised one to stop making efforts (typically, when a kid gets an B+, the reaction is "Why not an A?"). Read more about the national pessimistic mood.Being happy-pessimists : they pretend they are collectively unhappy but individually happy. "joie de vivre" in France.And also :no taxpayers' rebellion, in spite of taxes being so high in France : the Yellow Vests revolt in 2018-2019 is the first one I've seen during public transport strikes, people who have to walk to their work, support the striker).Being negative : the French are systematically negative. When offered an opportunity, their first answer is never "Why not?" but "It won't work". When asked to evaluate an achievement, they begin with the defects. The French believe that, basically, the other people are bad and the world is dangerous. Anybody positive is considered very naive, underestimating how bad things could become. Another reason is that the French think that it is a proof of intelligence to see the defects or the dangers that could have escaped other people, less smart.They know how to demonstrate : In Summer 2004, the government decided that, in order to fund a program to help elderly people, everybody in France would work for free on Pentacost Monday,

Good question let's start198719 Oct Stock markets around the world crash and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIJA) drops by 508 points on the day referred to as Black Monday.Nov 8 An IRA bombs kills eleven people and injures 63 in the northern Irish town of Enniskillen as they assemble for the annual Remembrance Day paradeDec 8 President Reagan and Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, sign the first ever treaty to cut the size of their nuclear arsenals.198825 March 10,000 protestors take part in the peaceful Candle Demonstration in Bratislava, protesting against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.May 15 After more than 8 years of fighting, Soviet forces begin withdrawing from Afghanistan.21 December Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway and kills a total of 270 people - including all 259 who were on board. It is believed that the cause of the explosion was a terrorist bomb.1989November 9 After separating East and West Germany for 28 years, the Berlin Wall falls.June Troops and tanks from the People’s Liberation Army open fire on protestors in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, killing approximately 400-800 people1990February 11 Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison after more than 27 years in prison.August 2 Iraqi troops invade Kuwait, marking the beginning of the Gulf War.25 December British engineer and computer scientist, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, perfects his invention; the World Wide Web.1991March 14 The Birmingham Six are released after 16 years of wrongful imprisonmentJune 17 The South African Parliament repeals the Population Registration Act, which had required South Africans to be racially classified at birth.July 1 The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved at a meeting in Prague.December 26 The Soviet Union is formally dissolved1992April 5 The Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina declares independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, leading to the Bosnian War.1993October 5 China performs a nuclear test, ending the worldwide de facto moratorium.November 1 The European Union is formally established when the Maastricht Treaty takes effect.199427 April The first fully multiracial South African general election is held, marking the end of apartheid.January 14 U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin sign the Kremlin Accords, stopping the preprogrammed aiming of nuclear missiles toward each country.May 6 After seven years of construction, the Channel Tunnel opens.May 10 Nelson Mandela becomes South Africa’s first black president.1995October 3 O.J. Simpson is found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. He later penned a book called If I Did It, in which he puts forth a hypothetical description of the murders.1996March 13 Unemployed Thomas Hamilton opens fire on Dunblane Primary School in Scotland, killing 16 pupils and one teacher, before committing suicideJune 10 Peace talks begin in Northern Ireland without Sinn FéinJuly 5 Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, is born at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland199731 August Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed are killed in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma road tunnel in Paris.June 30 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is released by Bloomsbury PublishingJuly 10 British scientists report that their DNA analysis findings from a Neanderthal skeleton support the out of Africa theory of human evolution.5 September Mother Teresa diesDecember 11 A United Nations committee adopts the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at fighting global warming through the reduction of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere1998January 26 President Bill Clinton denies he had “sexual relations” with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. He later admits that he did have an “improper physical relationship”.August 2 San Luis Obispo, California becomes the first municipality in the world to ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurantsAugust 15 A Real IRA car bomb kills 29 people and injures over 200 in Omagh, Northern IrelandSeptember 4 Google is founded by Sergey M. Brin and Lawrence E. Page1999January 1 The euro is introduced as an accounting currency to the world financial marketsAugust 11 A total solar eclipse occurs which is probably the most-viewed in human history.2000January 1 The Millennium Dome opens its doors to the public for one yearMarch 12 Pope John Paul II apologises for past wrongdoings by members of the Roman Catholic ChurchMay 4 The ILOVEYOU computer virus spreads quickly throughout the world, successfully attacking tens of millions of Windows computers2001January 15 Online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, launchesSeptember 11 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four commercial airliners en route to Los Angeles and San Francisco. American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 are flown into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 is flown into the Pentagon in Washington, and United Airlines Flight 93 crashes into grassland in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to regain control from the hijackers.October 7 The United States invades Afghanistan, with participation from the British Armed Forces, in response to the September 11 attacks. The invasion marks the beginning of the current, ongoing war in Afghanistan.November 13 U.S. President George W. Bush signs an order allowing military tribunals against any foreigners suspected of having connections to terrorist acts or planned acts against the United States. This is the first act of its kind since World War II.December 2 Enron files for bankruptcy.2002April 9 The funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother takes place in Westminster AbbeyJune 3 The Party in the Palace takes place at Buckingham Palace, London for Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee celebrationsJuly 1 The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and the crime of aggressionNovember 8 The UN Security Council Resolution 1441 is passed, offering Saddam Hussein “a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations”. Iraq later allows weapons inspectors into the country and submits a 12,000-page weapons declaration to the UN but fails to account for chemical and biological stockpiles.2003February 15 More than 10 million people in over 600 cities worldwide protest against a prospective U.S. invasion of Iraq, the largest protest ever to take place before a war occursMarch 19 U.S. and allied forces invade Iraq, beginning the Iraq WarApril 14 The International Human Genome Consortium announces the successful completion of the Human Genome ProjectDecember 13 Saddam Hussein is captured by US forces at a farmhouse in ad-Dawr2004January 28 The Hutton Inquiry findings are published, clearing the British Government of “sexing up” the September Dossier, a report into Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. The report strongly criticises the BBC, leading to the resignation of its chairman, director-general and journalist Andrew Gilligan.February 3 The CIA admits that there was no imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.February 4 Facebook is founded by Mark ZuckerbergMay 12 American civilian, Nick Berg, is shown being decapitated in Iraq by a group allegedly linked to al-Qaida on a web-distributed videoSeptember 2 A law banning religious items and clothing from schools in France comes into effectDecember 26 Around 230,000 people in fourteen countries are killed as the Boxing Day Tsunami sends waves of up to 30 meters in height crashing into coasting communities2005January 30 Iraq holds its first free Parliamentary elections since 1958July 7 52 people are killed and over 700 injured when al-Qaeda-associated militants detonate four bombs in London, three on the London Underground and one on a busJuly 24 Lance Armstrong makes history by winning the Tour de France for a seventh consecutive timeSeptember 30 Controversial drawings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad are printed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, sparking Islamic protests across the world2006July 12 Israeli troops invade Lebanon in response to Hezbollah kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and killing three. Two days later, Hezbollah declares war against IsraelNovember 5 Saddam Hussein is sentenced by the Iraqi Special Tribunal to death by hanging. His execution takes place on December 30 in Kadhimiya at Iraqi army base, Camp Justice2007January 17 The fifth series of television series Celebrity Big Brother triggers protests in India and the United Kingdom after Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara are allegedly racially abusive towards fellow contestant, Bollywood star Shilpa ShettyMay 3 Madelaine McCann disappears prompting a worldwide search, which is continued today by her family.July 21 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series, is released and sells over 11 million copies in the first 24 hours, making it the fastest selling book in history2008January 2 The price of petroleum hits $100 per barrel for the first time in historyJanuary 21 Stock markets around the world crash amid growing fears of a global recessionFebruary 22 Northern Rock becomes the first bank in Europe to be taken into public ownershipSeptember 15 Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy2009January 20 Senator Barack Obama is inaugurated as the United States of America’s first African American President19 May The President of Sri Lanka claims an end to the insurgency of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, following the death of their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. His announcement marks the end of over 25 years of civil war.June 25 Michael Jackson dies of a cardiac arrest, prompting worldwide mourning from fans.August 16 Usain Bolt sets a new World Record of 9.58 seconds for the Men’s 100m at the Berlin World Championships.August 31 Following the withdrawal of British troops from June onwards and withdrawal of the last U.S. combat brigades on August 19, Obama announces the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, bringing the war to a close2010January 12 A 7.0-magnitude earthquake kills over 230,000 people in Haiti.January 29 Tony Blair appears in front of the panel at the Chilcot Inquiry to face questions over his role in taking Britain into the Iraq war. He claims he has “no regrets” about removing Saddam Hussein.April 14 A volcanic ash cloud from beneath Eyjafjallajökull ice cap in Iceland begins to disrupt air traffic across northern and western Europe. The disruption will last for over a month and leave millions of passengers strandedApril 20 The Deepwater Horizon oil platform explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers. In the months that follow, an estimated 205.8 million gallons of crude oil spill into the water, damaging an estimated area of 80,000 square kilometresJuly 25 Over 90,000 internal reports about the United States-led involvement in the War in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2010 are leaked to the public via Wikileaks, an online publisher of anonymous, covert, and classified materialAugust 5 – October 13 Following a cave-in at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile, 33 miners survive underground for a record 69 daysNovember 13 Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi is released after almost 15 years fo house arrestNovember 16 It is announced that Prince William of Wales will marry long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton2011January 11 Heavy rains trigger some of the deadliest landslides in Brazilian history. On January 23, the death toll reached 806January 14 Following a continuing series of street demonstrations, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Tunisian Republic, steps down from office and flees Tunisia after 23 years in powerJanuary 21 Tony Blair appears for the second time at the Iraq Inquiry. He expresses “deep and profound regret” about the loss of life suffered by UK personnel and Iraqi citizens during and after the 2003 war25 January The first of a series of street demonstrations, protests, and civil disobedience acts take place in Egypt with the goal of ousting President Hosni Mubarak’s regime.2012January 23 – Iran–European Union relations: The European Union adopts an embargo against Iran in protest of its continued effort to enrich uranium.February 6 – The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marks the 60th anniversary of her accession to the thrones of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and the 60th anniversary of her becoming Head of the Commonwealth.[4][5]February 19 – Iran suspends oil exports to Britain and France, following sanctions put in place by the European Union and the United States in January.[6]February 21 – Greek government-debt crisis: Eurozone finance ministers reach an agreement on a second, €130-billion Greek bailout.I am out