James Cook,
brave hero of the enlightenment, or harbinger of massacre and tragedy for great
peoples ? The debate is carried on today, around the 250th anniversary of
Cook’s expeditions. It is crucial to understand this disagreement and to
reflect on why it gives rise to such high levels of anger. Here is a very recent
defence of the pure hero story, from Australian television :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx2fmu6WOYk
This very recent programme serves to remind us that there is no consensus (and there may not be for many many years) about the role of James Cook in history. The conflict of interpretations is probably "hotter" today than it has ever been.
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