Are Brits tolerant and accepting of other races in their society?

Question

I'm an American, and I am unaware of how you feel. If you care to share your thoughts on this, please do so. Many thanks to those of you who choose to post a comment. (I tend to think that we are pretty narrow minded here in the US. This is no more than my opinon.)

Answer 1

Brits are TOLERANT, not ACCEPTING. Very different states of mind. Different races are "put up with", and different races put up with the other different races. Very few people accept others' cultures and ways of life. Sometimes made to feel like an imposition rather than a "native"...

However, that's dependent on where in the UK you go. In bigger cities where there are more representatives of different races as it were, racism isn't so evident. It may be there, but there's a lot more acceptance. In smaller towns, there isn't that acceptance, or even that tolerance. I guess that's all to do with exposure and interaction though...

It's a happy place really!!!! Don't be put off!!

Hope this helps...

Answer 2

Warning: Long and Generalizations ahead! ; )
It has been 26 years since I lived in Britain, but there was then definitely some strong feelings about "Pakistanis" (we'd say Indian or East Indian). I heard many comments about "blacks", meaning Indians. This was more often than not when I was in London. More noticably was the rift between Irish and English. I had friends from N. Ireland who made a point of speaking with an acceptable English accent (English people called it talking Posh).
The IRA were also quite acitve and still getting support from people in the US.
At that time many Brits did not like Americans (seems things never change), but the Irish loved us.
I am of mixed ethnicity and most Brits found that intriguing, but then most Americans, as individuals, they found quaintly charming. In retrospect, that is a bit telling.
Of course, they are pretty tolerant of "individuality". LOL

I just asked my husband, who, for several years, visited N. Ireland(British), Ireland (not British), and England every summer. His last visit was in 2004. He says that my memory serves correctly. There is still a lot of tension between Irish and Brits. There is also the political divide, in N. Ireland, between Protestants and Roman Catholics. He says that those groups are not "religious" in the way we would understand it. Most people he talked with saw them as political ideologies.
The British do not have the "North/South" divide that we do, (slavery was ended more gracefully there than here).
For the most part this is an ethnic problem rather than a racist problem. But I do recall an older gentleman referring to the Irish as a race.

Americans are not the only people who struggle with bigotry. Look into how the French handled Muslim immigration...I'm sure every nation has their problems.

Answer 3

As with a previous answer, I feel that human nature is fairly predictable. There are seriously narrow minded bigots all over the world. On the whole the parts of Britian that I know well and the relatives and friends of mine from elswhere seem to agree that the British are generally very open minded and accepting of other races and nationalities. The idea that we should be a multi cultural society should be clarified a little there is room for some discussion on this.

Do we want our countries to accommodate all cultures within one national community or do we want assimilation to the extent that everybody loses their identity?

Personally I feel the latter leads to mediocrity and a bland uninteresting and unstimulating culture. I'd rather have lots of different cultures around my country and learn to live with and enjoy what they have to offer my life.

Answer 4

As a Brit I am quite tolerant and accepting of other races and think that the British people in general are.

Those who are not I believe are in the minority.

Though there is a current backlash about the amount of benefits eastern europeans are supposedly getting.

Though I am sure we would be quite happy for them to buy us a pint or have a drink with us in a pub or be together in some social gathering.

Answer 5

British society is made up of a lot of different cultures. But I would also say that the CLOSER you are to britain, the more resentment there may be.

eg Welsh v English
Scots v English
N Irish v Irish
Irish v Eng
Eng v France.

History is the biggest cause for this, hence there's no real grudge between Welsh and Ireland, there's never been dispute there.

But IMO people from further abroad are widely accepted, with open arms.


I just freakin HATE when people call me Paddy.

Answer 6

2 issues here different answers. Nationality in the UK is quite a different deal to race relations in the UK.
Racially intolerant bastards here as everywhere. However ; comradery is huge by nationality (when you travel outside the UK and NOW at football games. was nt always like this)..."strange" dress can result in you having a hard time with neighbours, work and airports so better if your race conforms with "norm".
English not so polite about the Scotsman kilt etc. Scots not very complimentary of English neither. Apparently; Scots were robbed blind by the English and the legacy continues to this day!!!???The whole Brit thing is tiny comparison to those who call themselves English/ Welsh/ Scot/ Irish.Does that help?

Answer 7

Most brits are tolerant of other races, the problems arise from minorities seeking to live a non-inclusive relationship with main stream society,and imposing their culture and sometimes alien values.
In a word when in Rome live as the Romans

Answer 8

There are idiots anywhere, but compared to the US-Americans, the British ar fairly tolerant. In all my 6 months in the US I never saw a mixed race couple, something you can see in any major British city any day of the week. Hardly ever in the countryside, though.

Answer 9

Most British people are very tolerant of others in their midst as long as these others generally accept the British way of life. The problem arises where these others do not accept the British way of life and try to force alien concepts on the majority.

Answer 10

Of most races I would say the Brits are a very polite and open minded race who agree to disagree...and are very tolerant and understanding