British+values

= toc **British values **=

Introduction
**Some values remain the same. Others; well, let’s just say they don’t exactly get out alive. The British values or the “Britishness” as many may call it revolve around the British people and how they interact with each other in the society. Some values have changed in a negative way, some in a positive way. Many may say that Britain has basic and mutual values, due to British stereotypes. People know that the Britons work hard for a stable society. But do mutual values equal stable society, or is diversity better? Britain has grown over the years, and so has the ethnic and cultural diversity. Also, Brit’s have tried to hold on to values as far as national history. Still, they struggle to keep their values. Is it partially caused by the youngsters being affected by other environments, or just their way of thinking in another direction? Having faced obstacles regarding conflicts connected to colony dispenses, Britain has had strong values as a country, values that we still recognize today, for example a British tea party. Still, some of the traditional values that represent Britain are vanishing. With that being said, how exactly have British values changed through the history? Every person comes from a specific country and culture. And every country characterizes some specific values. But what happens when these values blend together? Taken this question in consideration, it is very possible that immigration has affected the typical British values throughout history in a way that makes values of Britain vanish. With that being said, the main focus is going to be immigration and teenagers, whether they have been part of the change of values in Britain, and in that case how. Let’s find out!**



**Teenagers**
Values have been passed on from generation to generation, and many claim that children have learned the importance of maintaining the values in Britain and in their home as well, in that way to secure and represent their culture and country. But still, values were much more dissimilar before. So what can this lead to? It is very possible that the children might learn different values followed by changes in the society. When the environment and society changes, the values may also change.

Back in the days, children always learned the importance of values at home and school, and only saw one side of the anecdote. This teaching method is still used in some homes today. [|(Source: iVillage)]. Maybe this is for the better, causing British values to never deteriorate? On the other hand the Media and TV has been developed in technology for years. Today, the youngsters and teenagers get affected by the Media. Too often young people today are more influenced by what they see and hear on television or on the street. They also learn to see values in a different way, learning about cultures and other values not only in Britain, but the whole world. The TV and the media today make it harder to isolate the world wide information containing news about values, conflicts and culture (Source: Yahoo answers). And so how can this influence the youngsters? Well, maybe the TV and Media affects and inspires them to think in another direction – a more critical direction! But we also have to think at the positive side; children need to explore the world and see where their mind can take them. After all – knowledge is gold! And isn’t this what growing up is all about?

The typical way of communication in Britain has always been direct and undeviating, through visitations and company, such as a tea party with scones and biscuits which is an important and historical tradition in Britain [|(Source: About.com.Entertainment)] Some teenagers fight to keep their basic values, by learning old-fashioned table manners and how to communicate through just a tea party. Still the technology has of course affected others. Just look at the other elevation. Teenagers today are interested and fond of the new ways of communication, such as Facebook and MSN, which have millions of members, many of them from Britain. Many teenagers forget to maintain historical and cultural values that have been in Britain for generations. And so it becomes sort of an “in with the new, and out with the old” – routine. This can lead to it being sort of a vice circle, if you may deposit it that way.  British tea party For most part of the British people, education is considered an important value. Looking back at the history of education in Britain, underprivileged youngsters had to drop out of school in order to make money for their family, in relation to work. Doesn’t this shows that the social class diversity has changed in Britain for years? Today, you can hardly see the social class differences as before because of the highly improved welfare system [|(Source: BBC)]When the welfare system changes, the human values can be capable of changing. Before, rich people didn’t pay taxes, but the lower classes had to. Today, this has changed! At the same time, can’t they tend to take things for granted? This is also exceedingly possible.

The schools around Britain regularly try to improve the educational systems, giving the students more challenges and so called ‘fun – learning’ experiences, but the amounts of youngsters who drop out of school are higher than ever. It’s been said that British teenage drop-out rate 'among worst in developed world' **[|(Source: Times Online)].** Another report in an article says that UK has twice the number of youngsters who drop out of school, more than other countries in Europe. What is the background for this occurrence? Maybe teenagers feel as though the society, which is seen as a value, has abandoned them. The consequences of this can be many, not only financial. In school they not only learn about values, but also behavior and respect for one another, regardless background or culture. There are differences between what is taught in school about values today, and what was taught before. Many of them, who still go to school, are against the dress code and school systems and want their own style to shine through [|(Source: Book Rags)]. When adolescents do drop out, they aren’t being followed up as much, and do not learn to a great extent about values and respect for one another as they normally do at school. Even though it’s good for their independent mind to go and explore new things and become more autonomous, this can have an effect on values, and prevent principles to be passed on to the next generation.

** Immigration **
Many may say that immigration equals identities blended into multicultural diversities. People in Britain disagree whether immigrants should establish themselves into the British culture, or learn other Brits about their culture and origin. Some even say that they should be part of and accept Britain’s Christianity [|**(Source: Telegraph.co.uk)**]**.** In Britain there have been different traditions back in the days. Before the Romans invaded Britain, farming was known as a tradition and is still a tradition in other countries world wide today. It’s understandable that many want immigrants to follow up with their Christianity, in that way to secure their typical British religion from evaporation. But this can also be a weak solution, and can at the same time prevent other cultures to establish and develop in Britain. It may also follow up and contribute as a consequence for the British reputation.

As far as religion goes, Brits were Christians and Catholics before British Protestants took over, except for North – Ireland. After the Second World War, immigrants were welcome to work in the industry in Britain, in that way to help stabilize the British economy. That led to it today being about five million non-whites in Britain, among them many with different cultures **(Source: Targets)**. It becomes palpable that when these cultures and values mix together, we no longer have one unambiguous type of tradition and culture, but a multicultural society.  People gain knowledge from one another, and learn about other cultures. So what does this guide to? Well, eventually some may perhaps find values in other countries, religions and cultures more appealing. And so, many of them convert to for example Islam **[|(Source: Islam for today)] **This means that everyone gets predisposed and intrigued by one another and their way of living, which isn’t necessarily a bad fixation for an independent mind wanting to explore. Different rituals that has it’s origin from someplace else, becomes popular in another area, a multicultural and British area. Still, everyone knows what religion and political set characterizes Britain, something that will most likely never fade away, no matter the quantity of immigrants. And looking away from the negative side, maybe it’s a good to have a multicultural area not ruled by only one specific culture. After all; can’t this promote respect and avoid clichés?

Some find it abstract that immigration has created a society with several different values that have taken place in one common culture, in this case Britain [|(Source: IngentaConnect)]. So this may perhaps mean that British culture can go from “snobbish” or “posh” as many may put it, to assimilative parts of other cultures. Country pubs, for example have always been a signature towards British culture. But every year different pubs close down, and instead we find non-British restaurants such as “Friday night Indian – Curry tikka massala” or Chinese takeaway. Back in time, before the immigration, we would probably not have found these restaurants. On the other side, this does not mean that they have entirely taken over the typical British meals. We still find Fish n’ Chips around the corner, and Scones as well. And which tourist doesn’t want the whole package in one?

Ex- Prime Minister Tony Blair speaks out about typical “Britishness’” saying English is not blood alone and that it has become modern and "a rich mix of all different ethnic and religious origins over the centuries" [|**(Source: BBC news)**]. His statement has caused many debates to occur, not only in Britain, but other places around the world as well. Evidently, English is not blood alone because immigrants have the right to call themselves English and bring their culture to Britain. But they would not have arrived at a place such as Britain if it wasn’t for one typical form of ‘blood’ that helped mold the Britain they all know today. Many are against high immigration, because that may lead to British values changing, maybe vanishing [|(Source: Express.co.uk)]. <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">But what many don’t understand is that Britain and other countries in general, need immigrants to maintain their economy. So what should and people choose to maintain; British economy and industry or British values? At the end of the day we still find the most basic possessions and belongings in Britain which haven’t changed. These are settings which even immigrants can’t change, because they are and have always been such a big part of Britain; language, monarchy, religion etc. Even the fact that judges in the courtroom still use the same wigs they have used through centuries. And let us not forget that the running wheel in the British cars is in the right side. Also, nothing can overcome their politeness, and the fact that they are very obsessed with sports, a result that we come across when we see hooligans. We still recognize typical British food also, such as Fish n’ Chips and scones as well. And so, some of the culture will probably always remain, but many do not overrule the fact that values will still be erased and vanish, in that way be replaced by a cultural tradition that has its background and origin for somewhere else.

<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">**Conclusion**
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">**They do say that ‘children are the future!’ Since articles and statistics show that the crime and school - drop out among the teenagers has climbed up the latter throughout the years, it shows that today it’s not so important for many teenagers to pass on the specific values to the next generation. New values that have affected teenagers and other people in general through other cultures, TV and Media, have arrived. Throughout the years, it has been an improvement and change of the technology. It’s not so much more of a spontaneous life; it’s more or less dynamic where people rather choose to communicate through for example Facebook, rather than enjoying each others company through a cup of tea with biscuits and scones. Taken the welfare system in consideration, we can conclude and say that the human value has changed, into the better. Just because it seems as though people gain more respect than what they used too, regardless background, identity or culture. Today, most part of the British society is known as a middle class and everyone has to pay taxes, except the ones that live with social help! Back in time it could be more relevant to say that there was one particular value and culture that characterized Britain. Because of the cultural diversity followed by immigration in Britain, it’s better to say that situations change values and that there are traditions //in// British culture rather than to state that there is 'a' singular traditional British culture. This can be claimed as a right statement because we find different restaurants in every corner from typical British such as Fish n’ Chips in one corner, to Chinese takeaway in another corner, which has it’s origin from another country and culture. The values have changed in Britain, no doubt about it. But because of these values changing, we now know that there is one important value that has remained, especially in Britain; the liberty of speech and most and foremost – the liberty of culture and religion!

- Vesa**

Do the Briton’s in some aspects base their lives and views on different values than Americans? If so, what and why?
When America was declared independent from Great Britain in 1776. Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence as a formal explenation as to why the Congress voted to declare independent from Great Britain. The second sentence in this declaration was as followed: //"// //We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness"// This sentence has been called one of the most known in the english language. It is said that when the Founding fathers wrote this declaration, they were inspired by the Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedom). The Magna Carta was a document forced upon the English king in 1215 by the nobility as an attempt to limit his powers and protect their rights. It was the beginning of Englands development towards democracy. The difference between these two documents is that the Magna Carta says that no man is to be arrested, made outlaw or killed without beeing judged by an assembly of his equals, but it also focuses on protecting the nobility's rights and perks, whereas the Declaration of Independence focuses on the fact that everyone is equal to the law and have the same rights.

The British Monarchy is an ancient metaforical symbol of value and also represents the source of modern british values, the British Monarchy represents traditions and values that is very integrated in a British individual's mind. The daily life of an average Englishman; his habits, customs, and social life is greatly influenced by the ancient English Monarchy and traditions of Nobility. Typical examples of this is clothing and certain categories of sport like, fox-hunting, cricket ( although this is an old indian sport adopted by the Nobility), Horseracing and Greyhoundracing. For a briton it is important to be part of a family, preferably with roots back to the Nobility, it is important to be part of a society that is still influenced by the ancient inheritence from Englands imperialistic days. In Britain religion is a big part of society. The majority of Englishmen are Christian and are quite faithful to the church.

As an opposite to the typical briton's conservative values, typical American's values are represented in the quotes "The American dream", "the self-made man" and " The right to the pursuit of happiness". Basically what i am trying to say is that in Great Britain, your life is somewhat dependent on what family you were born into. While the whole idea with the second sentence in the declaration of independence is that it is not supposed to matter what family you come from and that you are responsible for your own welfare and career. America is fundamentally based on the freedom of speech and religous diversity.Thus we have many different religions that have sprung out from American societies.

Citizenship: In America, you have to be born on American soil to automatically become a citizen. In England one or both of your parents have to be citizens. You can apply for citizenship, but the prosess is long and requires that you don't have a criminal record.

It is important to stress the fact that the differences in values that is mentioned here, are obvious stereotypes in the English and Amercian societies. The world is constantly changing, what i've been wanting to describe is the still noticeable fundamental views on different sources of values present in people's minds.

The ongoing worldwide discussion on the right to practise your religion versus the freedom of speech seems to be a bit harder in the european communities compared with the American societies. It gives us reason to speculate if this is because of the differences in the fundemental principals.

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