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2010-08-18 Down Under

Aussie PM backs snapping ties with British monarchy

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Posted by Fred 2010-08-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

The Head of State of Canada!

Posted by gromky 2010-08-18 01:29|| 2010-08-18 01:29|| Front Page Top

#2 Gromky, you meant figurehead.

Posted by twobyfour 2010-08-18 01:35|| 2010-08-18 01:35|| Front Page Top

#3 There's a fair bit to be said for a constitutional, parliamentary monarchy in which the monarch, as head of state, provides quiet leadership and stability, and otherwise stays out of the way.

Elizabeth has been a darned good example of that. She provides her people with a sense of identity (well, the people who originated in South Asia might not feel British but the rest do). The King of Thailand has saved his country from chaos a couple of times. We make fun of the Nordic monarchies but they too provide a quiet presence that is an important part of the glue that holds their culture together.

A non-royal 'president' in a parliamentary system has no swat. That person is a figurehead even by definition. It's usually some formerly august patrician politician who wants one more title before he retires or dies. He looks serious but he can't do anything, and no one really listens to him. It's all ceremony. Why bother?

If one gives a non-royal real power as a president or premier in a parliamentary system then you end up with a system like Israel or France or South Korea, wherein the prime minister is now the figurehead whose only real mission is to take the blame when something goes wrong (which always happens). Or worse, you have the prime minister and the president competing with each other.

If one wants a true parliamentary system, one would do well to have a royal family. Iraq, for example, could use a wise king right now to (quietly and behind the scenes) crack a few heads and get the pols to form a government already.

Posted by Steve White 2010-08-18 09:21|| 2010-08-18 09:21|| Front Page Top

#4 Sounds good, Steve, but Liz won't live forever. How does your theory of the wise/prudent/discreetly strong monarch accommodate idiot spawn like the self-described "Defender of Faith" in the photo above?

Posted by lex 2010-08-18 11:19|| 2010-08-18 11:19|| Front Page Top

#5 Elizabeth has done a good job of "providing her people with a sense of identity." She learned that from her parents, who stayed in London during the Blitz and worked hard to keep up the people's morale. The exiled rulers of Norway and the Netherlands, and King Christian of Denmark, also encouraged their people during WWII.

Victoria inherited her throne from "an imbecile (George III), a profligate (George IV) and a buffoon (William IV)." She and Albert failed miserably to provide moral leadership during the famine in Ireland, but in most other ways she "gave the people a sense of identity". While the crown lost power, it gained a great deal of prestige.

Her descendants, except for the Duke of Windsor, carried a sense of responsibility and duty and moral leadership through 5 generations. Unfortunately, Charles doesn't have the charisma or the good sense to keep it up.

Posted by mom 2010-08-18 11:57|| 2010-08-18 11:57|| Front Page Top

#6 I'm sure lots of Commonwealth citizens are leery of having Crazy Charlie as King. Even Liz seems to be re-thinking that, and looking at young William as a replacement.

Posted by mojo 2010-08-18 13:31|| 2010-08-18 13:31|| Front Page Top

#7 Harry is the only chance for the survival of the Royal Family. The others are just too stupid and un-studied.

Posted by newc 2010-08-18 18:19|| 2010-08-18 18:19|| Front Page Top

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