The Churchill Series – Oct. 24, 2008

(One of a series of weekday posts about the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

In the closing days of July 1914 Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, prepared the Royal Navy for what he believed would soon be war with Germany.

The Monarchist blog’s post “Churchill on the Great War” includes this description by historian A. J. P. Taylor of England before the war began:

… Until August 1914 a sensible, law-abiding Englishman could pass through life and hardly notice the existence of the state, beyond the post office and the policeman. He could live where he liked and as he liked. He had no official number or identity card. He could travel abroad or leave his country for ever without a passport or any sort of official permission. He could exchange his money for any other sort of currency without restriction or limit. He could buy goods from any country in the world on the same terms as he bought goods at home.

For that matter, a foreigner could spend his life in this country without permit and without informing the police.

Unlike the countries of the European continent, the state did not require its citizens to perform military service. An Englishman could enlist, if he chose, in the regular army, the navy or the territorials [something like America’s National Guard – JinC]. He could also ignore, if he chose, the demands of national defence. Substantial householders were occasionally called on to perform jury service. Otherwise, only those helped the state who wished to do so. …

Make what you will of what Taylor says.

Be sure to visit The Monarchist blog. It’s about much more than monarchy.

The Anglosphere gets a lot of attention and appreciation as do our rights rooted in the common law and other pillars of freedom. The blog is link rich.

Get yourselves a cup of tea or a dram and settle in for a while at The Monarchist.

Have a good weekend.

John