Does real revolution exist anymore? The Arab Spring would indicate so, but whatever happened to the glorious European revolution? The French Revolution and The Russian Revolution set the standard for the modern nation to overthrow the monarchy and pursue national identity and glory above all. But recent events in Scotland suggest that not every independence movement has to be straight out of Les Mis. Scotland certainly wanted no part in revolution, as the nation’s road to independence ended abruptly on Sept. 18 with 55 percent of Scottish voters electing to continue the nation’s 300 year union with Great Britain. that all fought and won their independence from England since the beginning of the 20th Century.
Ireland’s battle for independence was by far one of the bloodiest and controversial in British History. After centuries of English rule, Irish Nationalists petitioned Parliament for Home Rule-or autonomy over domestic affairs. After a couple of decades of inaction, on Easter Sunday 1916, thousands of Irish men took to the streets of Dublin in Revolt. Hundreds were killed in action or executed for treason, launching a massive campaign for independence. For two years British and Irish forces fought a bitter battle. In 1921 Ireland was granted independence. (AP)
Egypt, a British colony from 1882 until 1922, was considered a protectorate by the British government. The Empire was ousted from Egypt officially in 1956 when British forces were finally completely withdrawn from the country. (AP)
Mohandas K. Gandhi, leader of the independence movement in India and international symbol of civil disobedience, inspired generations of civil rights and independence movements following his successful campaign for India from 192- to 1947. India successfully won its independence in 1947. It had been a colony of the British Empire since 1612. (AP)
Most people don’t know that Jamaica was a British colony until 1962. After World War II and India’s successful independence movement, the Jamaican people slowly pulled away from British rule by becoming a province and finally leaving the Federation of the West Indies for full autonomy. (AP)
Zimbabwe, formally known as Rhodesia, was a British Colony from 1888 until 1980 when it’s independence was formally recognized fifteen years after declaring independence from the British Empire. (AP)
Two Pro-Separation demonstrators on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. Despite urban centers North Lanarkshire and Glasgow voting for independence, the Yes movement was beaten by 10 percent of the vote and Scotland elected to continue its union with Great Britain. (AP)