Word of the Week

Independence

As this week marks the birthday of George Washington (born February 22^nd 1732), one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, it just seems appropriate that the word of the week should be independence.  George Washington served as commander-in-chief during the American Revolutionary War (1775- 1783).  Here, the then 13 American colonies fought against the British forces culminating in the Declaration of Independence by the states away from the British Empire and the emergence of the United States of America.  George Washington was elected as the first president of the USA in April 1789, and is widely acknowledged as “the father of the Country”.

Independence was certainly important for George Washington, and for many American citizens who are still strong supporters of him to this day. Today in the USA his face can be seen on dollar bills and 25 cents coins, the capital is named after him along with many towns, counties, bridges, parks, schools and colleges.  There are even 26 Mountains named in his honour!

So what is independence, and why is it so important to so many people? Independence is defined as the condition of a Country or State in which its population exercises self government.  It is about freedom from a dominating power, a place where citizens have an opportunity to be part of the decision making process.  This notion appeals to, and is supported by many individuals across the world. The idea of liberty stirs up emotion and we often witness heroic acts of bravery by those striving to achieve independence for their country.

Independence for a country is intrinsically linked to personal independence and freedom. It is tied up with values and democracy. Historically, we can follow the demise of empire after empire as individual states claim sovereignty as citizens demand home rule. Think of the demise of the British, French, German and Dutch empires during the course of the 20^th Century.  How about the number of countries in Eastern Europe and North Asia who gained their independence following the collapse of Soviet communism?        

 

As we have seen earlier, sometimes a state seeking independence will make a declaration of independence. The earliest surviving example of this is Scotland’s Declaration of Arbroath dating back to 1320, which asserted Scotland’s sovereignty over English territorial claims. It is interesting to note, and perhaps a little ironic, that a referendum is planned for 2014 where the Scottish people will have the right to vote for independence away from the United Kingdom!  One question to leave you with, will Wales and Northern Ireland follow suit in the future?  

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