Of course,” remarked the prime minister David Cameron in June 2014, “we should teach history with warts and all.” But, he went on, “we should be proud of what Britain has done to defend freedom and develop these institutions – parliamentary democracy, a free press, the rule of law – that are so essential for people all over the world. This is the country that helped fight fascism, topple communism and abolish slavery; we invented the steam engine, the light bulb, the internet; and we also gave so much of the world the way of life that they hold so dear.”
All countries need uplifting narratives about their past and, as Cameron indicated, the abolition of slavery in 1833 is indeed one of Britain’s positive episodes. Yet his throwaway, Cromwellian line about “warts and all” also reminds us that politicians prefer to treat the negative aspects as a few minor blemishes on a glossy portrait.
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