Understanding the Echo Chambers We Live In | LONDNR [Print]
The 6th of May will mark the coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey in London. He’ll be crowned alongside his long-time wife Camilla, the Queen consort. Those are the simple facts of the story. The rest is infinitely more complicated. Naturally a coronation will dredge up conversations about the efficacy of a monarchy and it is important to start with a few key facts. According to Statista in 2022, 62% of people polled supported the monarchy over an elected head of state. The royal weddings of Will and Kate and Harry and Meghan were watched by millions of people worldwide and when the Queen died last year, people from all over the country queued for days to pay their respects. All of this is to say, the royal family are unbelievably popular. The prevailing opinion in leftist republican circles is that they are an anti-democratic racist institution. It’s the view I personally hold, but it is a fringe opinion. If we had a democratic referendum on whether to keep the Royal Family in Britain, they would likely prevail.
The closest thing to an “interest” I have in the coronation is what it tells us about the body politic of Britain. Earlier this year hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets of Paris to vehemently oppose President Macron’s pension reform plans which would see French people work an additional two years before being eligible for pensions. Political commentators and social media users alike highlighted the comparative docility of British people in the wake of our government treating us far worse.
The genesis of a nation dictates the nation’s relationship with power. France was born out of revolution and dispatching their monarchy in 1789. As such, a precedent was set that the powerful are at the behest of the people. In 2022 the British public actively celebrated being reigned over by a billionaire in a golden hat for 70 years, despite struggling to be able to heat their homes and eat sufficiently. This inherently British willingness to self-flagellate in the name of patriotism explains why we are in the position we are in. Record profits, falling living standards and crumbling infrastructure. These things are made possible by the sort of subjects who will line the streets to celebrate King Charles’ coronation. Make no mistake, to support the monarchy is to actively celebrate being lauded over. God save the public.