“Bread and circuses” is a metonymic phrase referring to superficial appeasement. It is attributed to Juvenal, a Roman poet active in the late first and early second century AD, and is used commonly in cultural, particularly political, contexts. In a political context, the phrase means to generate public approval, not by excellence in public service or public policy, but by diversion, distraction, or by satisfying the most immediate or base requirements of a populace by offering a palliative: for example, food (bread) or entertainment (circuses). Juvenal, who coined the phrase, used it to decry the “selfishness” of common people and their neglect of wider concerns. The phrase implies a population’s erosion or ignorance of civic duty as a priority. Juvenal here makes reference to the Roman practice of providing free wheat to Roman citizens as well as costly circus games and other forms of entertainment as a means of gaining, or retaining, political power.
Times have changed but governments around the world still apply the policy of “bread and circuses” to this day, albeit in different forms. In fact, the “bread and circuses” have become even more varied and flamboyant in modern times. Ironically, the policy is still effective today as it was in the 1st century Rome. Governments resort to offering “bread and circuses” to distract the public’s attention from the real issues. Doling out freebies to appease the people and promoting music and sports entertainment to distract the masses are time-tested policies.
Unfortunately, the great mass of the people falls easy prey to these “bread and circuses” policies of the government everywhere every time. The government of Nagaland has been doing the “bread and circuses” trick on the people in recent times and quite successfully. Like the Roman citizens then, the Naga people today do not realize that they are being hoodwinked.
A people that trusts their government is bound to remain enslaved. A people that keeps their government on its heels progresses. It is up to the people to either trust the government or keep the government on its heels.