Avoiding America's Mistakes

A conversation between Richard Holloway, one of the most outspoken figures in the modern church, who recently stood down as the Bishop of Edinburgh; and David Goodhart, editor of Prospect magazine.

A conversation between Richard Holloway, one of the most outspoken figures in the modern church, who recently stood down as the Bishop of Edinburgh; and David Goodhart, editor of Prospect magazine. Holloway believes that one the main problems of multiculturalism is the new assertiveness of strong religion. He warns: ‘Strongly held religious beliefs do not comport very well with the kind of tolerance that is the necessary lubricant in multicultural societies. The real test of multiculturalism is being fought out in the US, where the religious right is not interested in co-existing, only in wresting control and taking over.’ Goodhart’s essay in Prospect last year ‘Too Diverse?’ launched a national debate on the potential conflict between diversity and the solidarity required to sustain a high-tax welfare society. He argues that if Britain’s common culture is eroded too far by multiculturalism the country will end up like America — highly diverse but also highly individualistic, unequal and racially balkanised. Instead of multiculturalism we need an ideology of liberal, inclusive national citizenship.

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