War with the past

A war is being waged against our own past. A cultural crusade is under way to render the history of Western civilisation toxic – whether it be the tearing down of statues, the “decolonisation” of school curricula, or the erasure of expressions from our vocabulary. What is at stake when a sense of shame about Western history is so strongly promoted in society?

In his book, Professor Frank Furedi staunchly defends the history of the West and calls for resistance against the delegitimisation of its ideals and undeniable achievements. The perception of the past as a story of shame has become a self-evident attitude in many countries, pervading the educational and cultural life of Western society.

Its proponents may consider it a cultural necessity, but a society that loses touch with its past condemns itself to a permanent identity crisis. To squander the wisdom handed down to us by history is to betray the positive achievements of humanity. Professor Furedi argues that the struggle over our history is one of the most important conflicts of our time.