My Potted History of Power in the UK

Let's look at power in the UK, how we got to where we are.

Monarchs and Aristocracy

In Europe and the UK, power stemmed from the Monarch. The King controlled the army and the army had violent power that was used to crush populations and take things of value for the King.

Other powerful people each with their own armies were the Kings relatives and friends, the Princes, Dukes and Earls, the Aristoracy. Whilst the King had power he only had power as long as these people were happy. If not, they could challenge his power.

Power was held by the 0.1% who could violently oppress the 99.9% if needed.  The wealth of the Monarch was protected by his power which rested on keeping a small group of aristocratic friends rich and powerful, essentially 'the establishment' of the Middle Ages.

Kings to 'Commoners'

Over time, the Kings power seemed to move towards his rich aristocratic friends who owned property and had their own armies. They would sit together in a Parliament to decide how things should work. They called this power democracy, because they were no longer ruled over by a King, and they, the people, had the power to make decision that affected them and their property. 

Annoyingly in the UK, these men were not Monarchs so they called themselves Commoners to distinguish themselves from Royalty and Aristocracy. The first great act of cultural appropriation given that these men were far from common. Whilst some of them weren't from the aristocracy, most were and all were wealthy landowners.

Power was now held by the 1%, and the 99% were still peasants and valueless and could be killed if they attempted to rise up to improve their situation (which they bravely did).  But the power still protected the wealth of the 1% from the 99%.

Ordinary Men and Women

Obviously you didn’t need to include men who didn’t own property in this group. Men otherwise known as ‘the poor’.  The real British commoners.  They owned no property, so according to the powerful ruling elite had no stake in the country so did not need to have a say over how it was run.

And it was clearly obvious to everyone that women and children were incapable of rational thought so the last thing you’d do is give them any voting power within this democracy.

But, over time, the ability to vote within a democracy did increase to poor men, and then eventually, to all women over 18.

These things weren’t automatic, and they weren’t achieved without violent confrontation and the death and suffering of ordinary men and women.  The situation we have today which we feel is so obvious had to be fought for.

So we reach a place where all adults can now have a say in things. within the democracy.

Does The Majority Now Have Power?

So does that mean now that power has moved from the 1% with the wealth to the 99%?

If it has, that puts the wealth at risk because the majority could take that wealth, through taxation for example. Or force if necessary.

Before all adults had the vote it didn’t really matter what they thought because the views of the 99% could be ignored and the wealth of the 1% protected with violence.

If the 99% said “we want to share the land or money equally” it was irrelevant. If they got angry about being ignored you could use your army to kill them and there were many such brave uprisings.

But now the 99% could decide to use force against the 1%?

This does not happen. Why? This is because having a vote within a democracy has not given everyone power. Instead, two things have happened gradually over 1,000 years as power moved from a Monarch and a few friends to all commoners. Those two things are:

1. The Eatablishment. Institutions have been put in place to protect real power and wealth from democracy and commoners.

2. Real power has moved from politicians and the democratic system with universal suffrage back to the 1%.

I am going to look at these institutions first, before looking at the 1% and how they really hold power over which there is no democratic control.