As the armed forces of Hamas in Gaza launched attacks on Israel, resulting in a significant number of Israeli casualties, a war has begun in the Middle East.
The question arises: with the commencement of this conflict, we are witnessing some chilling and unexpected changes that compel us to reevaluate and contemplate the future world. An emblematic instance of this emerges from the United Kingdom.
Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, is a Scottish of Pakistani descent. Yousaf was elected as an additional member of the Glasgow electoral region in the 2011 election, marking the formal beginning of his political career. At the time, the 26-year-old Yousaf became the youngest-ever elected member in the history of the Scottish Parliament. During his swearing-in ceremony, Yousaf donned the traditional South Asian attire, a shalwar kameez, adorned with the Scottish national emblem, the thistle. After reciting his oath in English, he repeated it in Urdu, signifying his identity and heritage.
As for Rishi Sunak, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he is widely known to be of Indian descent. When he was elected as the Prime Minister, it sparked a wave of celebration in distant India, with claims that the UK was seeking an "Indian solution". There may be a significant number of individuals in India who do not consider Sunak a British.
It is widely acknowledged that the Muslim communities hold a strong dedication to their faith. In terms of this devotion, perhaps a single Muslim individual may equate to several individuals adhering to the Church of England. Another interesting, or perhaps more concerning, indication in the UK is that the results of the national census show Christianity is no longer the predominant religion in England and Wales, with the proportion of believers falling below 50%, and this is unprecedented. Concurrently, Islam has emerged as the fastest-growing religion in the UK over the past decade. In the present-day UK, the self-identified Muslim population has increased by 44% in the past ten years, rising from 2.7 million in 2011 to 3.9 million in 2021. This signifies an addition of 1.2 million Muslims within a decade, constituting approximately 6.5% of the total population of the UK.
Observing individuals whose lives and backgrounds seem to be disconnected from the traditional history and culture of the UK, some might perceive that the country has experienced a significant transformation. The question arises: if the UK moves away from its heritage, what is left then? Does it possess a high-speed rail industry? Are they engaged in aviation manufacturing? Which British company can rival prominent semiconductor manufacturers like TSMC? Additionally, it appears that the British automotive manufacturing sector has largely been acquired by other countries. In comparison, for some, what truly allows the UK to endure is its "Britishness", i.e., those distinctive British characteristics, ancient streets, historical legacies, and cultural heritage, the things that might not be appreciated by those who do not come from British backgrounds.
Yousaf made an appeal for the UK to accept one million displaced Gazans following the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel war. As for what this implies for the UK, that question may require addressing in the future. What is observable at present is the substantial gathering of Muslim demonstrators surrounding the Prime Minister's residence, while Sunak appears to be indifferent to these events, which is interpreted by some as tacit approval.
In London, support and protests for Palestine (specifically for Hamas in Gaza) continue to grow and persist. According to estimates by the Metropolitan Police, as of October 21, as many as 100,000 people participated in a pro-Palestinian protest in central London. By 9 in the morning, the police estimated the number of protesters to be 100,000. A photo shared by the Metropolitan Police on social media shows demonstrators gathering in the Whitehall area, which hosts many government buildings. There were massive turnout, flag-waving, chanting, and individuals kneeling in prayer, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the capital of an Arab nation.
What about the future of the UK? I believe that the UK cannot remain unchanged, and this change is likely to be rapid and abrupt.
The UK may experience a conservative social movement reminiscent of the McCarthyism era in 20th-century America. When left-wing ideologies become dominant to the extent of representing all things politically correct and are near the forefront of social order, they tend to follow the pattern of any social movement or fashion trend. They may eventually become outdated, clichéd, intolerable, and trigger opposition, thus evolving into challengers, and potentially, becoming the destroyers of left-wing ideologies. This scenario is possible in the UK, and all they currently lack is an influential and charismatic politician.
I believe that in the future, the UK will have parliamentary committees for investigation. There will be revisions to the laws and the enactment of new legislation. Its society will experience unrest, conflicts, and unexpected events. Naturally, there will be impassioned left-wing individuals who are willing to persist and, of course, be the primary targets. The occurrence of fatalities is not surprising. Some people's lives will be permanently altered.
In any case, I believe the current perplexing state of the UK will not remain as it is forever. In the future, the UK will reorient towards conservatism, which will become a mainstream consciousness once more. After the era of radical leftism, the resurgence of conservative influence may, in fact, become the new intellectual trend. Of course, not everyone will believe or want to believe this. It can be imagined that if it doesn't happen this way, there might not be the UK as we know left. Therefore, all of this is bound to occur, even though it may seem unlikely at present.
The real world is but a repetitive cycle. The so-called "new things: are just like condiment bottles on the dining table – they can never replace the main course. The question is, if the UK has the potential to lead this forthcoming wave of conservatism, it might position itself at the forefront of global trends, much like it did during World War II, not only in terms of material wealth but also in the realm of ideas, standing shoulder to shoulder once again with the economically dominant United States.
