Constitutional monarchies r (not?) us

[steepholm]

I'd appreciate some help here. I inadvertantly almost talked myself into being a constitutional monarchist the other day, and I really really don't want to be one! Show me how to avoid this fate, at lady_schrapnell's livejournal. Please!

Comments

[altariel.livejournal.com]

How about the "Omelas" argument: it's all very well that the system works, but is it fair to expect people to lead the kind of duty-prescribed and paparazzi-infested lives that modern monarchs and their families have these days? (Leaving aside the vast wodges of cash, which must sweeten the pill considerably, I should think.) So, you know, we should be kind, and think of the monarchs.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I remember Ken Livingstone advancing this argument when he addressed my college back in the 1980s. He said the last king had died of overwork, though most of us suspected it had more to do with tobacco addiction.

"I wouldn't be king for a hundred pounds"

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'm not too worried about that aspect of it. After all, one can always abdicate and become governor of the Bahamas - it's not such a bad life really.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Despite having read only one Pratchett novel... or maybe two, I really don't remember... I came across this rather fine quote somewhere: 'It seemed to be a chronic disease. It was as if even the most intelligent person had this little blank spot in their heads where someone had written: "Kings. What a good idea."'

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That's a good quote, and it pinpoints my fear exactly. Not that I have such a blank spot, you understand, but I worry about being in a very small minority...

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Well, in the other lj you said "f we can’t use good kings like Aragorn to justify a bad system, it doesn’t seem quite consistent to use bad kings to condemn a ‘good’ system, does it?"

I really don't think that works. A bad president, or a bad prime minister, can be got rid of at the ballot box. A bad king you are stuck with unless you can use violence. One bad king is enough to condemn the system, simply because you can't easily get shot of the bugger and while he's there he could do a lot of damage - I assume we're not talking about harmless, powerless monarchies?

Incidentally Aragorn drives me mad. He's a procrastinator who can't make up his mind and wastes half a volume pissing about with the elves in Rivendell and Lorien when he should be getting on with things. I think he'd make an awful king!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

The problem with bad presidents and PMs gotten rid of at the ballot box, how many countries has that worked for? How many other nations on this earth have had presidents turn into tyrants (under whatever title) when the people aren't voting the way they were told to?

[(Anonymous)]

That generally points to the fact that they are not using the system, ie they've stopped holding free and fair elections and are relying on the army. It is sometimes possible to tinker with the system to stop that but usually this happens in cvountries with no tradition of democracy where the people are still getting used to it.

The only way to fix a system of appointing hereditary morons to a job they aren't fitted for is to get rid either of the system or the bloodline.