Anglophobia: the irrational phobia towards the English and the 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, specifically England. Well, do not confuse with Anglo-Saxon.
Some phenomena could explain, in broad strokes, the reasons why the tendency to Anglophobia is in crescendo. Sociologists expert in anthropology point to this rejection due to the constant imposition of the English language to develop in the academic world, in the labor world and, therefore, the tourism that the English project where they go.
What is Anglophobia?
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 English.
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 rich countries in resources, devastated the local population and imposed its culture for the new generations. All this helps to better understand 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-seated Anglophobia. You will be surprised at what places the English are afraid of systematically .
1. Australia
In the oceanic country you will find one of the most prominent Anglophobes of the entire list . Although they speak English, drive to the right and share cultural habits, it must be remembered that Australia served as a prison and exile for the British Empire during the eighteenth century. That meant the definitive replacement of Australian aborigines by European citizens.
In addition, in Australia there is a popular pejorative expression for the English immigrant: "whingeing pom", which means "quejica inglés". Recall also, since the country was founded depends, indirectly, of England at the 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 political, economic and cultural harmony, 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 founders of the country, Thomas Jefferson.
3. Ireland
The Irish case is more evident . The British Empire occupied this small island for more than seven centuries, submitting politically and culturally to the Irish nation. Once the country was decolonized, during the late twentieth century the conflict between the English and the Irish was revived, especially by religious themes (Catholics versus Protestants), which led to the creation of the I.R.A. (Irish Republic Army).
The claims of Celtic culture, language and independence against England continue to be the cause of demonstrations and commemorative performances of 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.
4. Argentina
The Argentine case is one of the last and most recent in terms of Anglophobia. . Basically, the tensions between England and the Latin American country date from the historical dispute between both nations for the Falkland Islands (Falkland Islands in English). The last direct conflict between the two countries occurred in 1982, when Argentina made the attempt to recover those islands and were defeated.
The social frustration after the Falklands War was notorious, as well as difficult to manage. It was not until the football championship of the 1986 World Cup that the Argentines redeemed the humiliation. In a confrontation with the English team, star Diego Armando Maradona gave the albiceleste the triumph of honor, with a goal in extremis with the hand, which would go down in history as the goal of "the hand of God."
5. Spain
The Spanish case is quite peculiar. Of all the list of countries that suffer Anglophobia, Spain is perhaps the least, although the tourist practice undesirable by the English , makes this trend rise. However, the political-social relations between Spain and England has been an authentic roller coaster.
At the height of the Spanish Empire, which was ahead of the British Empire in the conquest of America, the former gave him humiliating defeats for almost two centuries. One of the most important battles was The Battle of Cartagena de Indias in 1741 (Cartagena, Colombia today). The English, superior in number of troops and frigates, had in mind an easy victory. Quite the opposite. Without hardly noticing, they found their "Invincible Armada" sinking and with three quarters of their army low.
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 southern Andalusia and its coasts, as well as the Balearic Islands or the Coast Catalan Brava. Neighbors and public administrations have been denouncing a demeaning behavior on the part of English tourists for two decades, such as drunken, sexual tourism and destruction of public furniture.
