The Head of Janus & The Vitriolic Viridian

What is the 'Head of Janus'? Well, as Janus is a two-faced figure, to me Janus is the state of English politics as it has been for decades - a sort of ping pong game between the Labour and the Conservative parties. It is this to-ing and fro-ing which has produced the Britain we see today and quite honestly it looks a mess. Has it really produced what it was supposed to ? In theory it is surely meant to placate both sections of the community, an entrenched working class and also the better-off middle and upper classes. In practise it seems to please no one. The public then becomes this 'vitriolic viridian' - a green-eyed monster spouting vitriol and censure. 'You haven't given us what we want', they all say, a typical cry of today. It would seem the political and economic models of yesterday are broken down and finished. What do the people really want ? We hear constantly about 'people power' - a sort of democratic republic which is run by the people, not upper class public school boys at all. They wish to do away with the ruling class and run things for themselves. Is the Big Society an attempt to see if it works ? The Big Society is meant to empower individuals at grass roots level. By coming together locals can solve problems for themselves. It would seem in essence this is a sort of communist inspired ideal and that is what we can expect from any conservative government, for surely conservatism means left wing and Labour means right wing. But of course it is not as simple as that, a mere inversion. Conservatives' drive to cut the welfare state is pure right wing as it does not necessarily help the poorest in society, not lefty at all. So it is in fact all academic. What we really have with a two-party system is totalitarianism. And of course this has been touted for years. The parties are both actually the same and they both ensure we have a totalitarian government. Many people in Britain have been unable to discern any party political difference between Labour and Conservative for years, though Labour have probably been better at actually building Britain with new hospitals and schools. Conservative comes in and then cuts their plans once they are out of office. The government then seems to tell us what to do whether we like it or not. And as for the 'power to the people' idea one should maybe fear an 'Animal Farm' scenario, where as in the George Orwell novel the people who take over the despots end up just as bad as the people they have replaced, once they have seized power. This is always the danger, that as soon as anyone gets the power it is abused !

So totalitarianism then has two faces. You think you have a choice when in fact you have none. Your only candidate is Janus - the two-faced God. And what does this two-faced God do ? He tries to appease both sections of the community, the lower and the upper class. When Labour is in power there is a drive to empower the working class, or maybe that should read Conservative. When Conservatives are in power there is a drive to pour money into middle and upper class coffers, or maybe that should read Labour. But this won't work. Are Liberal Democrats meant to be a middle way, a kind of conciliator ? Their title certainly sounds appealing. After all, we all want to be democratic and the 'liberal' bit sounds attractive too. And yet there is a reticence for the British people to give them total control - probably another mistake. There is too much of this 'vitriolic viridian'. The British public are very good at shouting the politicians down but what are the real alternatives ? Maybe David Cameron's Big Society is an attempt to address this issue, to quell this 'vitriolic viridian'. The British people seem almost jealous of power. They want it they are saying. They want some of this power. But is the Big Society the real answer ? Maybe Britain actually wants Communism from some hard-liners. They are so sick of inequalities in society they want everybody to be the same. This 'vitriolic viridian' is seeking communism, nothing less. Maybe there has always been this element in society, to try and bring down the establishment, including the royal family and to try and establish a people's democracy or a communist party devoted to the needs of the working class. The royals are seen as defunct, not rulers anymore and many people ask do we really need them. However, they are an important diplomatic and democratic tool and a very significant part of international relations. The Queen is head of the Commonwealth and her state role is unquestionable. But many say it is not our country - it belongs to thrones and crowns, not men, the common people. Maybe David Cameron is trying to address this fundamental issue in his Big Society. He is trying to appease this 'vitriolic viridian' before it gets out of hand. And in a society ruled by Janus he is giving a third way, a way which empowers local people within an acceptable framework. A framework acceptable to politicians, the church and royalty too. Janus must embrace its people: if it does not its long term existence is severely imperilled.