The state of democracy in the UK. There are two strands. The first is the yearning for the firm hand of authority. The second is a more historical fear of the potential implications of democracy that believes letting people take major decisions is misguided as they may make the 'wrong' decisions.
Recent days have revealed beneath all the pomp and endless platitudes a UK which in Martin Kettle's analysis is much more 'three-dimensional' than the UK political classes, media and the official story of Britain allow for. There seems little chance that the UK Tory Government will take cognisance of this; or that Labour will somehow summon up the courage and radicalism to recognise the need for far-reaching change.
Instead, they cling to tradition and the mantra that it encourages continuity and change, oblivious to the damage it does; Janan Ganesh in the FT describing the 'growth blocking wall of past-worship' which reinforces inertia, the status quo and special treatment of older voters compared to the young.
The UK is a state and it is in a state – a state of denial, discord, division and foreboding about what the future will bring. These past weeks have offered an insight into one version of Britain, what that official story is, and that unsurprisingly, millions of people want to believe things will somehow work out.
We will soon be brought back to reality very quickly, and will find out post-Elizabeth just how diminished the UK is in global reach, the limits of tradition, and how difficult it is to manage a politics and economics of decline and retreat – particularly when the UK political classes do not want to confront some inconvenient truths.