But we do have a fine history of iconoclasm and recalcitrance in this country (hence the reason the Royals get bashed - they are also a part of the Establishment), as well as a history of demonstration and campaigning against the ills inflicted on the ordinary folk of our Islands:

The Tolpuddle Martyrs, the Suffragettes, Winstanley and the The Diggers, The Levellers and Freeborn John, the poll tax riots, the miners strike, The Jarrow March, the People's March for Jobs years later, Greenham Common, CND, Chartism, Marx and Engels, The Luddites, a million people protesting against the Iraq war etc etc were all protesters and agents of social reform that were rebelling against the self-serving ruling classes of the Monarchy, Aristocracy, Church and State.

And these are just the English ones, we haven't even taken into account those who have rebelled against the oppression of the Crown since the year dot in the other countries we share our Islands and heritage with.

In my opinion the rise in consumerism has taken the edge off any displays of militancy that the population might display these days; as long as people are more interested in buying shit they don't need than the welfare of their fellow citizens then you can kiss goodbye to the revolution.

However . . . recession and hard time mean people can't afford to buy the shit the don't need and this can focus the mind. I look forward to the mob tearing down Cromwell's statue and throwing rotten veg at the one of Queen Victoria outside Buck Pal, then heading off to Westminster to hold those spineless lackeys of big business to account and make them finally realise they have to answer to the people and work in their interest and their interest alone.

I still think it could happen.