The Jubilee: how will you celebrate

[Vorbis]

As an Italian I find England to be a great place when I was young, everything worked compared to the southern country, the weak and the poor where protected and social mobility was very much present, very much prerogatives of democracy.
I am sure the monarchy had a very huge impact on the above mentioned facts.

EH??? The class system promotes social mobility?

Can't agree with that observation. I would say you are confusing a coincidence with a causal connection. Social mobility has increased significantly since WW2, but that has happened in tandem with the dissolution of the old class barriers not because of them.

 

[timsk]

. . . It is therefore a spurious argument as to whether tourists would cease to visit London if we turned into a Republic, - the evidence is that they visit for thje History and that is undeniable with or without an extant monarchy.

Hi bb,
Yes, I'm sure you're right, tourists come to the U.K. - and London in particular - for a variety of reasons and I expect the Royal Family don't feature especially highly. However, as a marketing tool to promote the country - they're unparalleled. Just wait til Kate gets preggers, she'll quickly replace Diana as the most famous woman in the world - if she hasn't done so already. And when the baby is born, every magazine and newspaper on the planet will have pictures of the proud mum 'n dad. I see the royals as people who do a most unusual job and one they have little choice in. And, by and large, they do it extremely well. In return, they enjoy massive wealth and privilege, but I wouldn't swap shoes with any of 'em for love nor money!

As to your wider point, I think that's the price one (i.e. the country) has to pay. Personally, it doesn't worry me in the slightest, especially as I believe that most of the royals (Fergie being the obvious exception) have the best interests of the country at heart.
Tim.

 

[Mike Kshemaraja]

EH??? The class system promotes social mobility?

Can't agree with that observation. I would say you are confusing a coincidence with a causal connection. Social mobility has increased significantly since WW2, but that has happened in tandem with the dissolution of the old class barriers not because of them.

Where is the social mobility in Italy? None. Disparity of class? As much as you want, more than Britain.

So, does monarchy create disparity of class?

Anyway this is only my humble input.

 

[Vorbis]

So, does monarchy create disparity of class?

I'm not suggesting that the absence of a monarchy can gaurantee greater social justice and egalitarianism, I'm just questioning the idea that it is a causal factor in its implementation.

I would argue that the UK has progressed in this area despite the existance of the monarchy rather than because of it.

At best, I would be prepared to accept that the two aspects of a society are not causally connected at all, too many other factors apply. The human mind has a tendency to see causal connections where none exist.