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In the Wake of Trump the Benefits of Monarchy are not as Tough to Argue

11/11/2016

 
By now everyone knows that Donald Trump is the president-elect of the United States. The 2016 election campaign was an
unprecedented display of division, hate, classism, and sheer
stupidity. Its smoldering remains will not be easily cleaned
up and some have already predicted that it may take several
election cycles for the damage to the American body politic to
be repaired. This assumes that future election campaigns can
manage to be unifying affairs. I wouldn't hold my breathe on
that happening if I were you.
Picture
This entire situation led to an interesting
article being published in the New York
Times asking if it was time for America
​to become a constitutional monarchy. I
would of course answer 'yes' to that
question. But many progressives have
been far less likely to say the same. And
now it would appear that at least a few of
them would now answer the same as me.
​This is a good start.

I have argued before that the progressive's aversion to
monarchy doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Monarchy is a
positive institution for progressives as much, if not more, than
conservatives.

Not all responses to the New York Times article have been as
positive as mine. The Mad Monarchist accuses the author of
supporting monarchy for the wrong reasons. There is
some merit to this charge but I don't think it is a major issue.
Instead we should consider that progressives have been dead
set against monarchy for years and now they are starting to
waver.
Picture
After Trump was elected another
article appeared in The Guardian
comparing the British Monarchy
​favourably to the American system.
The Guardian is an anti-monarchy
paper in Britain which makes this
article pretty surprising.

Over the next four years there will be some that say the next
president will be better. But in a divided nation that is not at
all likely. After Obama was elected there were calls for some
states to leave the union. 'Moving to Canada' is also not an
idea that started with this election. And even if the president
is good on a policy level the division remains. This goes back
to the incompatibility of the roles of head of government and
head of state in a presidential system.

Perhaps in time 'God bless America' will be followed by 'God
save the Queen'.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
Gerry T. Neal link
11/12/2016 10:35:47 pm

I too re-iterated my case for the superiority of the Westminster system of a Crowned parliament over a president-headed republic at Throne, Altar, Liberty this weekend, although in my case it was not the election of Donald Trump itself that I saw as illustrating the weakness in republicanism but the "not my president" sentiment behind the left-wing riots that have broken out in the wake of his victory (although the way I see it, this sentiment would have been expressed by half of their country regardless of who won, this having been their most polarizing election in 156 years). Among the functions of the office of Head of State, it is the focus of unity for the country as a whole. This is compromised by making the Head of State into an elected position. Under the Westminster System, we may support Her Majesty's Government, or Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, but we can all say God Save the Queen!

A Kisaragi Colour
11/13/2016 02:41:54 pm

You are exactly right. I think that had Hillary won progressives would be less inclined to see the problems inherent in their system since it would be 'proof' that it worked. As it is its a little annoying that some have blamed the Electoral College rather than the entire idea of a presidential republic. All these years later the words of John A. Macdonald still ring true:
"By adhering to the monarchical principle we avoid one defect inherent in the Constitution of the United States. By the election of the president by a majority and for a short period, he never is the sovereign and chief of the nation. He is never looked up to by the whole people as the head and front of the nation. He is at best but the successful leader of a party. This defect is all the greater on account of the practice of reelection. During his first term of office he is employed in taking steps to secure his own reelection, and for his party a continuance of power. We avoid this by adhering to the monarchical principle – the sovereign whom you respect and love. I believe that it is of the utmost importance to have that principle recognized so that we shall have a sovereign who is placed above the region of party – to whom all parties look up; who is not elevated by the action of one party nor depressed by the action of another; who is the common head and sovereign of all."

Gerry T. Neal link
11/13/2016 09:00:22 pm

There is a parallel between the complaints about the "archaic" Electoral College in the United States that we are now hearing and the objections to "first past the post" up here. What is common to both complaints is the idea that pure, undiluted, majoritarian democracy is somehow ideal. The problem with that kind of democracy has often been illustrated by the story of the two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for lunch. It is unfortunate that civics has not been properly taught in Canada since at least the first Trudeau premiership. I have frequently pointed out to advocates of proportional representation, that far from making our system "fairer", it would make the House of Commons more partisan and ideological. Members are elected to represent their constituency, and there is already a problem with them putting party and ideology ahead of their constituents, but this would be much worse under proportional representation. We would be a lot better off if, instead of thinking up ways to change our system to make it match some unattainable ideal, we took the time to understand how it works. If more Canadians took the time to understand our system, they would appreciate it better, including the fact that our democracy works so well precisely because it is not pure democracy, and would have a better appreciation for the monarchy.


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