The Daily Signal 'BAD RELIGION': Effort to Cancel This Defender of the British Empire Reveals the Left's 'Repressive' Ideology
May 25, 2025
Nigel Biggar, Professor emeritus at Oxford and a peer in the House of Lords, discusses the reexamination of the British Empire's legacy amid cancel culture. He critiques the Left's 'repressive' ideology that seeks to silence dissent, calling it a 'really, really bad religion.' Biggar shares his tumultuous experience publishing on colonialism, advocating for balanced discourse over political activism. He also delves into the complexities of reparations and the challenges faced by conservative voices in defending free expression.
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Cancel Culture as Bad Religion
- Cancel culture often stems from a kind of "bad religion" where people see themselves as infallible and suppress dissent.
- This ideology treats disagreement as evil and justifies silencing others by any means.
Complexity of Colonial Histories
- Colonialism and empire were complex and often involved negotiation, cooperation, and context, not just conquest.
- Native peoples also displaced each other historically, which challenges simplistic narratives of British imperialism.
Facing Cancel Culture Backlash
- Nigel Biggar faced intense opposition and online attacks over his Ethics and Empire project at Oxford.
- His book's publication was delayed by cancel culture but later succeeded with another publisher.