Friday, February 8, 2013

"That abject, squalid, shameless avowal"

Exactly eighty years after one of the most famous and notorious debates at the Oxford Union debating society, which received worldwide publicity in February 1933 for the sheer temerity of voting in favour of the motion -- "that this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country" -- the Cambridge Union Society repeated the performance just last night to commemorate the historic anniversary. Apparently the students of Cambridge University will still not fight for Queen and Country.

It came as a shock back in 1933 to suddenly contemplate that England's young were now a degenerate, decadent lot who had descended into frivolity. Churchill called the motion "that abject, squalid, shameless avowal... It is a very disquieting and disgusting symptom." But the Great War was still fresh in the minds of many, and no doubt some of the students who were present had barely known their fathers, fathers who never came back from the trenches. Appeasement was in the air in the 1930s; another Armegeddon was not for them.

I've no idea what the excuse of today's generation is. If a video of this debate becomes available, please do let me know.
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4 comments:

  1. NpinkpantherFebruary 11, 2013 at 1:47 PM

    Doesn't surprise me. University students, especially those involved in student politics (bleugh!), have always been a pompous, self-satisfied bunch of bleeding hearts. When they buy a home and have a family (i.e. when they have a real stake in the country) their opinions will be taken seriously.

    This is coming from a university student (who would fight for Queen and country if my country - Australia - was threatened).

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  2. The MonarchistFebruary 12, 2013 at 4:46 AM

    I would have expected more coming from England, especially at the tail-end of the diamond jubilee year. On the other hand, it was just a debate, and it may only prove that the individual arguing against the motion was a more convincing debater, and nothing to do with how Cambridge students feel about the Monarchy.

    By the way, always happy to receive comments from our Australian brethren.

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  3. J.K. BaltzersenFebruary 13, 2013 at 5:30 AM

    Gentlemen,

    One can have a principled stand against the draft, and one can be anti-war, but that does not necessarily make one a pacifist.

    If I were on the opposition team, I would certainly pound hard on the "in no circumstances" part, but I don't know what the real opposition team did. This is the essential part, as one can be opposed to the Wilsonian crusade of late, but that does not mean that one will not fight if one's country/home really is threatened.

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  4. NpinkpantherFebruary 13, 2013 at 1:59 PM

    I should say I oppose conscription when the security of the realm is not threatened. I'm no jingoist - I hope my, er, impassioned post didn't give that impression.

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