Anglophobia: The Irrational Phobia Towards The English And Anglo-Saxon
We are possibly facing one of the most peculiar phobias and disorders known Anglophobia is a totally irrational and passionate feeling of hatred towards everything that has to do with English culture, England specifically. Well, it should not be confused with Anglo-Saxon.
Some phenomena could explain, broadly speaking, the reasons why the trend towards Anglophobia is increasing. Sociologists, experts in anthropology, point out this rejection due to the constant imposition of the English language to develop in the academic world, in the world of work and, therefore, the tourism that the English project wherever they go.
The etymology of the word comes from the Latin “Anglus”, which means English, and “Phobos”, derived from the Greek whose meaning is fear It has been classified as a pathology because Anglophobia does not respond to any specific criticism or structural characteristic, but because it is a generalized criticism against everything that has to do with Englishness.
On the other hand, Anglophobia has its origins in the past history of the English Empire, which came to dominate half of the globe, colonized countries rich in resources, devastated the local population and imposed its culture on new generations. All of this contributes to a better understanding of this phenomenon.
The 5 countries with the most Anglophobia
To better understand the complexity of this pathology, we will resort to a classification of countries that have deep-rooted Anglophobia. You will be surprised in which places people are systematically afraid of the English
In the oceanic country there is one of the most prominent Anglophobias on the entire list Although they speak English, drive on the right and share cultural habits, we must remember that Australia served as a prison and exile for the British Empire during the 18th century. This meant the definitive replacement of Australian aborigines by European citizens.
Furthermore, in Australia there is a popular pejorative expression for the English immigrant: “whingeing pom”, which means “English whiner”. Let us also remember, since the country was founded, it has indirectly depended on England at a political and economic level.
2. United States of America
Another Anglo-Saxon country and direct descendant of the English. Although it seems that there is good harmony at the political, economic and cultural level, the truth is that There are many misgivings among Americans towards the English In fact, the first to pronounce the word “Anglophobia” was one of the country’s founders, Thomas Jefferson.
3. Ireland
The Irish case is more evident The British Empire occupied this small island for more than seven centuries, subjugating the Irish nation politically and culturally. Once the country was decolonized, during the late 20th century the conflict between the English and Irish was revived, especially over religious issues (Catholics against Protestants), which led to the creation of the IRA (Irish Republic Army).
The demands of Celtic culture, language and independence against England continue to be the reason for demonstrations and commemorative performances by the most nationalist sectors. The last political tension was caused by the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2011, where there were public altercations and a notorious rejection of her presence on Irish soil.
The Argentine case is one of the latest and most recent in terms of Anglophobia Basically, the tensions between England and the Latin American country date back to the historical dispute between both nations over the Malvinas Islands (Falkland Islands in English). The last direct conflict between both countries occurred in 1982, when Argentine attempted to recover these islands and were defeated.
The social frustration after the Falklands War was notorious, as well as difficult to manage. It was not until the 1986 World Cup soccer championship where the Argentines redeemed the humiliation. In a confrontation with the English team, star Diego Armando Maradona gave the albiceleste the victory of honor, with a goal in extremis with his hand, which would go down in history as the goal of “the hand of God”.
5. Spain
The Spanish case is quite peculiar. Of the entire list of countries that suffer from Anglophobia, Spain is perhaps the least, although the undesirable tourist practice on the part of the English, makes this trend on the rise. However, political-social relations between Spain and England have been a real roller coaster.
At the height of the Spanish Empire, which preceded the British Empire in the conquest of America, the former handed it humiliating defeats for almost two centuries. One of the most important battles was The Battle of Cartagena de Indias of 1741 (present-day Cartagena, Colombia). The English, superior in number of troops and frigates, had an easy victory in mind. Quite the opposite. Without even realizing it, they found their “Invincible Armada” sinking and three-quarters of their army casualties.
Historical facts aside, the current Anglophobia in Spain is due to the tourist “invasion” that the English have made in the Iberian Peninsula, especially in the coastal areas, the south of Andalusia and its coasts, as well as the Balearic Islands or the Coast. Brava Catalan. Neighbors and public administrations have been denouncing vulgar behavior on the part of English tourists for two decades, such as drunken tourism, sexual tourism and destruction of public furniture.
