Pono, the royal family is not a colonial master. They are well-paid actors on a stage. Long ago, I was anti-royalty. Now, I consider Queen Elizabeth II to have been good value and am appreciative of her presiding over the British Empire and am also appreciative of the great works of the British Empire in the barbaric realms in the hinterlands of the planet.
China's bosses perhaps don't realize it, but they have adopted some of the more important aspects. TJ's grandfather was educated by the British but bit the hand that fed him [as naughty and wayward arrogant youngsters are prone to do]. But some of the civilizing norms stuck and have passed down. They had a go at Karl Marx but that didn't work out so now they are trying 19th century capitalism.
England has done very well by keeping the royal family in business, complete with Trooping of the Colour, Whitehall guards and the whole panopoly of glory. Tourists flock by the million, bringing and spending loads of cash. London would be a dirty great pile of brick and dissolving limestone; damp, dark, dreary, depressing, sooty, overcast, miserable without the uplift of Buckingham Palace with some Pomp and Ceremony. Gordon Brown just doesn't do it.
Joe Clark was a nice chap [Canadian prime minister] but not really able to fill Queen Elizabeth's shoes. Helen Clark's lesbian coven was no match either.
A royal family has a primary interest in very long term stability of society. The regular garden variety presidential prat has money grubbing megalomaniac licentiousness as their motivation. It's far better to tell some innocent little 3 year old that the excessive interest in them is because they are designated as Keeper of the Crown so they'd best start getting used to the idea. It takes some strength of will for somebody to ditch that mantle as a young adult and make their own way. Infrequently there are abdications, then the next in line is shoved in. Somebody down the line will feel the obligation to take it on because it does have some significant rewards as a way of life.
Being the same age as Charles, I have compared my life with his. Sometimes I have felt sorry for him. Never have I thought "Gosh, I wish I'd been the future King". I even had a job once in Hamley's warehouse putting toys for the royal family in bags ready for packing and sorting. Also in the Department of Environment checking the typing of the schedule for Queen Elizabeth II to visit some park - I was amused how detailed such proceedings are. "Turn at the top of the stairs to wave to the crowds, proceed to the left and admire the roses on the right, pausing for 10 seconds, then ask the gardener in attendance what the variety is ..." I can't remember the details but it was like that.
Imagine being Charles. You couldn't just rant in cyberspace. You'd have to adopt some screen name such as Maurice Winn, and a fake identity, then rant away as an anonymous nobody.
Three cheers for Elizabeth II ... hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray.
Mqurice |
