This dumbing down of history is dangerous, it means lessons aren't learnt and people justify their current actions by using 'history'. We all know that the victors write history but really now we have not just the victors but those who think people are too stupid to understand giving up history 'lite'. The sad thing is that people are believing these versions of history. Everything is simplified and skewed towards current political thinking. Even the language used is simplified and used for to make a point. Yes the Germans killed Jews, they also killed communists, homosexuals, the disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, trade unionists...basically anyone who opposed the rise of the dictator Hitler. The Russians killed Jews, homosexuals, the disabled, communists, trade unionists... basically anyone who opposed the dictator Stalin.
Class.. now there's a thing. Class is different in America than it is to Europeans, hatred of class here means hating the more rigid caste system we have ( though it's far looser than it used to be). Class in Europe is not so much about being rich but being the ruling class. In our government there are a great many ex public schoolboys (there is even in the Opposition, Tony Blair went to public school). The public schools here are the basis of the ruling class, the 'old boy network' which means high ranking positions are given to other ex public schoolboys, the power stays with the ruling class, it's not democracy. Eton probably the most famous school in the world has produced 19 Prime Ministers including our current one, generations of the Royal Family have attended there, most sons of the aristocracy have been there and will send their sons there too. It is the epitome of the ruling class and why there is hatred for it, it's not just about the money, it's about the power these people hold.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/etons-old-boy-network-518455.html
Again, as with European history and American history one must understand that the two while linked at certain times are actually very different, the class 'war' in the UK and Europe is about abuses of power, lack of democracy and the fundamental rights of man. It's not about 'hating the rich', here you can be very very rich a la David Beckham but never will you get to be part of the 'ruling class'. You can be relatively poor but go to Eton because of family and you could end up very, very powerful, perhaps even running a country.
Serious thinkers and scholars here wouldn't take Prager's soundbites seriously but I feel sorry for those who do because a closed mind is a wasted one.
Class.. now there's a thing. Class is different in America than it is to Europeans, hatred of class here means hating the more rigid caste system we have ( though it's far looser than it used to be). Class in Europe is not so much about being rich but being the ruling class. In our government there are a great many ex public schoolboys (there is even in the Opposition, Tony Blair went to public school). The public schools here are the basis of the ruling class, the 'old boy network' which means high ranking positions are given to other ex public schoolboys, the power stays with the ruling class, it's not democracy. Eton probably the most famous school in the world has produced 19 Prime Ministers including our current one, generations of the Royal Family have attended there, most sons of the aristocracy have been there and will send their sons there too. It is the epitome of the ruling class and why there is hatred for it, it's not just about the money, it's about the power these people hold.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/etons-old-boy-network-518455.html
Again, as with European history and American history one must understand that the two while linked at certain times are actually very different, the class 'war' in the UK and Europe is about abuses of power, lack of democracy and the fundamental rights of man. It's not about 'hating the rich', here you can be very very rich a la David Beckham but never will you get to be part of the 'ruling class'. You can be relatively poor but go to Eton because of family and you could end up very, very powerful, perhaps even running a country.
Serious thinkers and scholars here wouldn't take Prager's soundbites seriously but I feel sorry for those who do because a closed mind is a wasted one.
