Little Englander
Encyclopedia
Little Englander is an epithet
applied in criticisms of English
people who are regarded as "xenophobic
" and/or overly nationalistic and are often accused of being "ignorant" and "boorish". It is applied to opponents of globalism; for instance those who are against membership of the European Union
. English people who mistakenly refer to the whole of the UK
or Britain as "England", or who routinely fail to give the opinions of non-English British citizens any importance, may also be called "Little Englanders". Both of these usages are controversial.
Historically, and more accurately, the term indicated an anti-imperialist
political stance dating from the time of the Second Boer War
(1899–1902). The term then designated people who were against the British Empire
and for "England
" to extend no further than the borders of the United Kingdom
. For example, Arthur Ponsonby wrote of the Liberal Party
leader Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
's reputation for his opposition to the Boer War: "The impression one got of him from the Press in those days was… that he was an unpatriotic Little Englander".
It has come to recently describe people who wish to break up the United Kingdom and for England to be an independent nation.
The term "little England" predates its political usage; the expression "this little England" was used in the Gunpowder Day sermon of the English Puritan
preacher Thomas Hooker
(5 November 1626).
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
applied in criticisms of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
people who are regarded as "xenophobic
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
" and/or overly nationalistic and are often accused of being "ignorant" and "boorish". It is applied to opponents of globalism; for instance those who are against membership of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. English people who mistakenly refer to the whole of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
or Britain as "England", or who routinely fail to give the opinions of non-English British citizens any importance, may also be called "Little Englanders". Both of these usages are controversial.
Historically, and more accurately, the term indicated an anti-imperialist
Anti-imperialism
Anti-imperialism, strictly speaking, is a term that may be applied to a movement opposed to any form of colonialism or imperialism. Anti-imperialism includes opposition to wars of conquest, particularly of non-contiguous territory or people with a different language or culture; it also includes...
political stance dating from the time of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
(1899–1902). The term then designated people who were against the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and for "England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
" to extend no further than the borders of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. For example, Arthur Ponsonby wrote of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
leader Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman GCB was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. He also served as Secretary of State for War twice, in the Cabinets of Gladstone and Rosebery...
's reputation for his opposition to the Boer War: "The impression one got of him from the Press in those days was… that he was an unpatriotic Little Englander".
It has come to recently describe people who wish to break up the United Kingdom and for England to be an independent nation.
The term "little England" predates its political usage; the expression "this little England" was used in the Gunpowder Day sermon of the English Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
preacher Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts...
(5 November 1626).