Queen Elizabeth II died a few weeks ago on September 8th. The news of her passing has since been received with varied responses to every corner of the world. This news especially hits hard for those countries that had been colonized by the former British Empire.
The question resides if we can separate the queen from her actions in the societal structure in which she was born, raised and participated in. According to Psychology Today, we can separate the queen from her role, but would it be ultimately wise is a speculation brought up.
The term sociological imagination means that the individual is separate from their societal setting while understanding that the two interact. While having this idea can be helpful in different circumstances it might be too difficult to manage in the queen’s passing.
Suggesting that the queen can be separated from her system can validate the atrocities carried out by the British Empire. People should be angry and should voice their feelings in this context.
Some question if the monarchy should end with the queen. Those who work in direct contrast to the queen, which is trying to obtain and uphold their own personal and community cultures, also find themselves having mixed feelings about the death.
Decolonization does not happen overnight, according to the New York Times. Those who are oppressed by the system still are forced to maintain the standard of the colonized system in order to succeed enough to then decolonize themselves.
This does not come easy. Countries across the world are shouting for the British to return the riches that the monarchy stole from their lands, according to NPR. The monarchy lied to the world in telling that these riches were freely given to the British to have and to hold. If Britain is to be held accountable for their crimes it starts with making reparations and returning these items to their rightful homes.
Though seen as outdated, egalitarianism exists as a foundational source of community and a sign of a society’s success, according to Psychology Today. The types of inequality that exist in privileged societies does not make for a productive community but rather an efficient money making machine.
Colonialism is seen in the United States as a history but for others in the world it is their present, according to the Washington Post. The queen’s passing rekindles the flame that comes with the injustices performed in the past and the present.
Americans and people across the globe may never be the same without the British Empire, but it does not mean that there is not a future without them.