Where are the Republicans hiding in this Country? posted on Royston's blog
Where are the Republicans hiding in this Country?
As a result of the English Civil war all three episodes (1642-1651) we managed to lead the European world at that time by getting rid of the Monarchy and replace it with the rudiments of a republican democracy. Unfortunately a few years later in 1660 we let Charles the 2nd back from exile and started the Royal merry-go-round again which continues to this day with the clear threat of another Charles ascending to the throne probably in not so many years - but gives us the opportunity at least to finish the whole thing off with another Charlie.
I was reading an article in a broadsheet newspaper the other week about some minor achievement of the young royals in the military when a particular line struck me. That this current service (in some ship busting some druggies) was good preparation for when 'he' would be 'head of the armed forces'.
This was alluding to the 'fact' that this limited young man would one day be unquestionably head of the country as King - and that this was going to be the case in some thirty of forty years. This was putting down without question, without critique, the notion that for all time in this little country we would still be lumbered with the Lords Ladies and assorted Princesses, Princes and Kings and other time wasters for at least a few hundred years more. Continuing the fine tradition of adding no value to our lives other than gracing the pages of some tacky celebrity magazine.
A sort of continuity was being posed in the article that left no room for doubt that in the established view this royal continuity was to take place without question. A similar thought occurred to me when considering the 'citizen' test being proposed here in the UK when new citizens will have to swear fealty to the Queen - what absurd nonsense. The institution of class and the stultifying class structure in this country has embedded a culture of deference an obedience into our people that has led to an unquestioning acceptance of all that is handed down from on high - at least in the older generations - and one of the key tools that the establishment uses is the perpetuation of a Royal family at the top of the structure offering (apparently) a unifying figure around which to rally.
What does however worry me is the lack of any critique from any quarter (or perhaps not well publicised or suppressed even). What is needed is a grown up discussion of what this country should look like - a few more republicans should come out of the closet and stop worrying about (not) getting a gong from HRM for services rendered (I know you have ed.)
Royston
Royston
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Re: Where are the Republicans hiding in this Country? posted on Royston's blog
