THE Roman satirist Juvenal once claimed that a populace which lost its freedoms was anxious for "two things only, bread and circuses".
Juvenal's reference to circuses meant gladiatorial games, which some historians have suggested were a free perk for those fortunate enough to be Roman citizens.
At the time, the poet was critical of citizens who he felt no longer cared for their civic duty, although many centuries on the phrase has come to mean a kind of political appeasement - offering a means of distraction rather than providing decent public services.
Since the fall of Stormont last year, much of our political discourse has felt like a distraction from the reality that we have no functioning government.
Now the forthcoming marching season, with its predictable rows over bonfires and funding will act as another diversion.
Eleventh night bonfires have been described as everything from "cultural expression zones" (courtesy of professional loyalist Jamie Bryson) to an annual blight on shared public spaces. Except, unlike the gladiatorial games, what they are not is free.
In Belfast, £400,000 will be given to community groups this year for "bonfire diversion" activities.
Just under half of the money - around £180,000 - will come from a fund raised by Belfast City Council for its failed European Capital of Culture bid.
Féile an Phobail will get a quarter of the £400,000, with the rest carved up between different community groups, including Sandy Row-based Belfast South Community Resources, which has been previously linked to the UDA.
Predictably, DUP, Sinn Féin and PUP councillors backed the move. However, it was telling that the funding decision was not subject to a 'call-in' mechanism, which allows decisions to be reviewed - thus reducing the level of scrutiny.
It is almost as if councillors had already decided that the best way to deal with community tensions over the marching season is to wave a wad of cash and hope that this will somehow diminish any threat of violence.
The actual detail of what the money will be used for is alarmingly vague.
The Ulster-Scots Community Network is to be handed £80,000 for what council documents have described as a "community education programme, community visualisation programme and three-year strategic planning process for a new festival".
Quite what a 'community visualisation programme' will entail is unclear, although the bizarre phrase does bring to mind visions of a Belfast-based Brigadoon as reimagined by Nelson McCausland.
A mere £100,000 will be handed to the Twaddell Woodvale Residents' Association to run a "major event on July 11 in Woodvale Park".
Yet no breakdown of expected costs has been made publicly available nor in fact what the event might be.
It is unthinkable for any council to hand out such a large amount of money based on such scant details.
No business would dream of requesting funds without a proper plan. If it did, it could expect ridicule.
Yet for decades, money has been used as a means of appeasement. Better to spend large amounts of public cash on community schemes than run the risk of violence, or so the skewed thinking goes.
The trouble is that no matter how much money is thrown at the problem, every year wood and tyres are collected and every year bonfires are set alight.
Admittedly, it's arguable whether building a bonfire in a public car park is any more divisive than holding a hunger strike commemoration in a publicly-owned children's playground, as happened in Newry earlier this month.
The difference is that bonfires themselves are dangerous and expensive. Managing massive pyres, some of which have been built much too close to houses, and the subsequent clean-up operation costs taxpayers thousands.
Last year The Irish News revealed that Belfast City Council stored pallets for loyalist bonfire builders.
A subsequent investigation by the Northern Ireland Ombudsman found that no written records were kept of meetings when the decision was agreed.
While this month's funding decision has at least been recorded, the details are nowhere near enough. Citizens need to be told what their money is actually being spent on.
There is little possibility of Stormont being restored over the next few months.
Instead we will have a summer of circuses, with tired old acts trotted out to distract us from no government, creaking public services and a failing health system.
We deserve better than not-so-cheap diversions.
