–>To say that the USA will be celebrating today is an understatement.
4th July marks the day in 1776 that the former British colonies in what is now the USA declared independence from the UK and was the birth of the United States of America. Surprisingly, celebrations of Independence Day became commonplace only after the war of 1812 and became a federal holiday after a law was passed by Congress in 1870. Americans all over the world now celebrate on 4th July every year. It is arguably the world’s most celebrated “national day” expressing patriotism and i
s a reminder of the start of a Nation.
If, as an American, you are reading this…Happy 4th of July!
It has been debated that the UK should have a similar “national day” and that St. George’s Day should be a Bank Holiday. Whatever the arguments for and against, it would certainly be nice to have one day a year where we celebrate “Britishness” in a similar way to the celebrations that our American cousins celebrate.
On a smaller scale, independence as a concept for individuals can be a cause for celebration but can often be a time of difficulties. Speaking from a legal perspective, we often see individuals who has been granted a visa to live in the UK gains the independence to choose whether to live in the UK or their country of origin – a happy time and a cause of celebration. Shareholders selling shares in a company can be happy or disheartened following the independence they have gained from that company. Couples who divorce and therefore gain independence from their spouse have usually had a difficult time and independence in this form can sometimes be the right thing obtained in the most difficult of circumstances. Someone who has suffered injuries or illnesses following an accident or medical negligence are awarded compensation which can help them maintain independence – an incredibly difficult and very upsetting time for the individuals concerned.
As lawyers, we see daily how individual people gain or maintain independence in some form or another, not always in the happiest of circumstances. As with many things in life, independence can be a double-edged sword but, for today, the USA shows the world how independence can be a cause for celebration…maybe the UK could follow their lead.
Vote in our poll: Should we have a “national day” in the UK?
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