Thursday 8 October 2009

On Cameron's Tory Story, and history

From Duff and Nonsense's take on Cameron's philosophy, my reply.

Also, he lists Michael Gove's ideal syllabus. One big problem for me is that he ingores the rest of the world:
"I'm with you on the history actually, that gives a good account of how our country came to be as it is.
I'd query the content of the last two. What's the New Britain, and what's Modern History to the present?
I'd probably do 1945-1979 and 1979 onwards. I pick 1979 because of the real seachang that that election brough and the subsequent changes still felt today. I was trying to think about another event around that time of 60s-70s, but that seems the most important to me.

Also, what about the rest of the world? Birth of civilisation, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Europe etc. etc.




On the speech, I agree that he tried to tell a traditional Conservative story, but I think he kept straying. I think, personally, he needs to try to alienate some people in order to firm up support. I'm one of those who believes in not trying to please everyone all the time, but that means trying to alientate people too.
While he was largely putting together a Tory Story, he didn't quite reach the heights he was after. I think Osborne has come out of this conference better and looking far more serious"

"THE GOVE HISTORY LIST

The people who make up Britain - Celts, Anglo-Saxons.

The Roman Invasion

Dark Ages

1066

Liberty and the Magna Carta and Simon de Montfort

War of the Roses

Tudor revival

Henry VIII

Elizabeth I

English Civil War

Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights of 1688

Union of Parliaments in 1707

The Growth of Liberty in the early 18th century

Beginnings of industrial revolution

Napoleonic Wars

The Struggle for the Vote in the 19th century, including Great Reform Act, Chartists

Queen Victoria and Great Victorian scientists such as Darwin and Faraday

Growth of the mass media and the mass franchise in the Edwardian Age

Great War

Great Depression of the 1930s

World War Two, including Churchill's role

New Elizabethan Age,

SSWindrush and the New Britain

Modern history to the present"

2 comments:

David Duff said...

I replied to you over at my place but you have reminded me here that you raised the lack of classical history(*). I think simple practicalities come into play. There is only so much time in a school life.

(*) Very soon I intend to indulge in some self-flagellation on the subject of classical history over at my place - watch that space!

Bearded Socialist said...

i'd spend far too long on history given the chance