Class reproduction

It was bound to happen, wasn’t it?  And when it did it was bound to be plastered across the front page of every newspaper on the planet.  I am, of course, referring to the news that William and Kate have spawned.  On a human level, I am happy for them.  For most people, the prospect of having a tiny rug rat running around is a delightful prospect.  Finally, here is a miniature version of yourself that you can teach to hate everything you hate (Justin Bieber, racists, Tories etc).  Plus, there is always something unashamedly optimistic about being a small part of creating a new generation.  One that will hopefully be much less careless and much more educated than we were. 

On a political level I am horrified, embarrassed and somewhat confused.  I am horrified because, in spite of the fact that many ordinary Brits are struggling to keep body and soul together, we will still be expected to contribute to this little person’s lifestyle via our taxes.  Taxes that could and should be spent on better things, such as improving public services and getting us out of the financial mess in which we have now found ourselves.  The thing is that council services, the NHS and education have all faced huge cuts because we are apparently unable to support them.  However, we could somehow afford to pay huge sums of money for silly Jubilee festivities that had no discernible point other than to remind us that the queen has been successfully fleecing us for 60 years.  We also found money to pay towards security for a wedding of two people that we hadn’t even met and that the vast majority of us probably couldn’t care less about.  Then there are all the regular perks that we pay for: private education, goodness knows how many palaces, private health care.  The list goes on and incorporates things that most of us cannot even afford to pay for for ourselves, which begs the question: why should we pay for that bunch of scroungers to have them?  Thus, this latest addition will only continue the “work” of its family, which is namely taking money of the working people of this country and using it to fund a life of unashamed privilege.

My embarrassment and confusion have arisen as a result of listening to some of the sycophantic opinions that are being banded around.  Admittedly, it is mostly the deluded individuals from the Royalist fraternity but I have also overheard comments from people who should really know better.  The comments mostly centre around how wonderful it will be to have another royal running about.  Do these people not realise how much they are being exploited and how much better this country would be if we didn’t have to fund an institution that is essentially a pointless waste of money?  This latest addition will be just another pointless waste of money.  Furthermore, I have heard many of these same people talking about how the tax payer should not be funding non-workers to have children (I think they mean benefits claimants).  In their blissful ignorance they seem to forget that the royal family do not contribute anything to society (don’t you dare try and play the tourism card: Britain would attract tourism with or without the monarchy) and have a much easier time of it than benefits claimants.  How many benefits claimants do you know who can afford to send their children to Harrow or Eton?  No, many of their children are languishing in sub-standard state funded comprehensives.  It is the ignorance of these people that embarrasses me.  The ignorance and the willingness to unquestioningly hand money over to a bunch of people who are so much better off than they will ever be.

You have to question what impact this little brat will have upon your own life.  Will it, for example, be emptying your bins or tending to your sick relatives?  Probably not.  At best it will open a few hospital wards, whilst grinning at the assembled crowds in a condescending and mock sympathetic manner.  Meanwhile we will be working ourselves to death to pay for it to enjoy a swanky lifestyle whilst we languish in sub standard housing that we haven’t a hope in hell of ever owning.  If you do not think that this is a good enough reason for Britain to become a republic then there is clearly something wrong with you!