The brutal face of capitalism

[Peikko 1,575]

Link

Hundreds of "uppies" from the hillside of Workington drove home a two-game advantage over the "downies" of the port area in the deciding afternoon of the town's annual three-stage football match. The downies won the final match in just 40 minutes – the quickest game in recent memory.

Downie Stephen Fryer, 41, smuggled the ball out of the scrum and headed for the quayside, hiding it in his top and feigning injury.

As other players searched for the ball, Fryer made a break for it with two other downies, sprinting along the riverbank to the hailing point, watched by a crowd of about 800 spectators as the uppies failed to catch him.

However, their rivals were the series victors, having won the first two games.

Weary, sweating and coated with mud, hundreds of players rampage over open ground known as the Cloffocks which is earmarked for a new Tesco supermarket next year. Enthusiasts fear the shopping development will make the ancient tradition impractical in future, after about 600 years of sporting mayhem overlooking the Irish Sea.

The game divides the two parts of Workington in rival attempts to hail, or lodge, the specially made football over the gates of Workington Hall, the socially superior uppies' base, or a capstan at the harbour, which the downies defend to the last. The distance between the goals far outstretches Premier League grounds, stretching for just over a mile.

Untroubled by rules, apart from a general instruction that "cunning and skill help but brute force is of the greatest importance", the uppies and downies game has survived endless social change because of its vitality. Posh versus poor gave way to colliers versus seamen and then old residents versus new ones, until the supermarket application threatened to remove the main pitch.

"The people of Workington don't want to lose the uppies and downies. It is a huge part of our history and to stop playing would not feel right," said Joe Clark, a veteran player of the game. "We have put aside our team colours and now we are working together for our very survival.

"When Tesco start building, it will take away from the spectacle of the game but, as long as the people of Workington continue to support us, we will keep playing."

Little quarter is given in the game and there was a broken arm within the first five minutes of the second match, while half-a-dozen players fell into Soapery beck.

The fans and players believe it will continue despite the supermarket development. Ian Whitaker said: "It'll carry on regardless through the car park and around the store."

Richard Routledge said: "Nobody wants to lose uppies and downies. It's brilliant and it's a huge part of our history – to stop it would let the town down."

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Must be the "Queen's English". I did not understand anything said in the entire article.

[Ban Hammer 13,406]

Must be the "Queen's English". I did not understand anything said in the entire article.

kinda what i thought too.

[Peikko 1,575]

What's not to understand? Commerialism kills everything that is unique and worth celebrating about a culture

[Ban Hammer 13,406]

What's not to understand? Commerialism kills everything that is unique and worth celebrating about a culture

there you go again....speak american english!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

What's not to understand? Commerialism kills everything that is unique and worth celebrating about a culture

why do you hate shopping???

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't

I do hate monoculturalism though, and monopolies and everything monochromatic, including POV

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I don't

I do hate monoculturalism though, and monopolies and everything monochromatic, including POV

Good... cuz I waz feelin' unloved

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

What's not to understand? Commerialism kills everything that is unique and worth celebrating about a culture

there you go again....speak american english!

an english project about commerialism...which advertises the hannah montana wig...

What's not to understand

[mRx 16]

Apparently, Tesco owns the plot of land that the uppers and downers play their game on.

If the game players worked the land for over 600 years, as I gather, then I would think that they have transformed the land through labor, and have ownership rights towards it. (I believe in the right to property ownership introduced by English philosopher Locke.)

But if Jolly 'Ole England operates a similiar tyrannical stance on land ownership as us, then all land not officially dedicated belongs to the government, and it it's utilization is at their bequest.

This has nothing to do with evil capitalism, monoculturalism, or monopoly; the issue here is merely one of property rights.

[Scott & Lai 12]

What's "commerialism"?

[Peikko 1,575]

Glad you liked the window dressing Matt. Just heard that Tesco made massive profits for a UK company this year - despite the rather flaky start to their US adventuring.

But, back to the uppies and the downies (good job it's not uppers and downers ) a supermarket can be built just about anywhere, the 'pitch' for this contest is unique. Turning everything into some bland, homogeneous mass is boring. I would like to see some of the eccentricity remain.

Oh, and no the land would not belong to the government - it's either privately owned or belongs to queenie.

[mRx 16]

Glad you liked the window dressing Matt. Just heard that Tesco made massive profits for a UK company this year - despite the rather flaky start to their US adventuring.

But, back to the uppies and the downies (good job it's not uppers and downers ) a supermarket can be built just about anywhere, the 'pitch' for this contest is unique. Turning everything into some bland, homogeneous mass is boring. I would like to see some of the eccentricity remain.

Oh, and no the land would not belong to the government - it's either privately owned or belongs to queenie.

So the land would belong to the Queen in this case? Unless, of course, the land was privately owned and the sale was made to Tesco. In the case of the former, the application of Locke's natural right to property would seem to be the best application. Land otherwise unclaimed belongs to those who physically utilize the land. This isn't practiced, I know, as Tesco would most likely have to pander to British Parliament to obtain rights to the land, I assume. In the case of the latter, the rightful owner of the land has the ultimate say in it's allocation, which has nothing to do with capitalism, but with ownership rights.

Either way, the issue is clearly not a brutal side of capitalism.