The Apple Cart

The Apple Cart – The central conflict begins when Prime Minister Proteus and his cabinet present King Magnus with an ultimatum: either he must become a powerless figurehead, with no right to influence public opinion or exercise his royal veto, or the entire cabinet will resign. The cabinet is backed by a powerful corporation, “Breakages, Limited,” which seeks to control the government for its own interests and block progress. This threat upsets the “apple cart” of the political establishment because Magnus is highly popular with the public. The cabinet realizes that if Magnus runs, he would likely win the election, form his own government, and effectively seize the power they were trying to deny him.