I legitimately believe in monarchy as a governing system. AMA.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

The three great enlightened despots are decent: Joseph II of Austria, Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine II of Russia.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

I'm 21.

I think communism can function in the right settings. I think it goes very poorly with totalitarian governments, which is unfortunate because that's how it's usually attempted.

I've read piles of history/government books and taken college-level history courses since 11th grade. I've accumulated dozens of credit hours in history and comparative-governmental-type studies. I am recognized by my peers and professors as intelligent and thoughtful.

I do not LARP.

I think you mistake me: I'm not saying countries should convert to monarchies. I'm saying that, in the event that people become dissatisfied with their forms of government and overthrow/reform them for whatever reason, they consider a strong, well-trained executive to be the leader.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Whatever works on the local level. I think republics for midlevel, direct democracy for towns.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

But you're describing an illiberal monarchy, whereas I'm advocating a liberal one.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Yes but that's a totalitarian regime. He solicits no opinion or input from the people. A monarch who embraced the information age could do a lot more than one in a backwards and undeveloped country could

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Well I mean, one of them elected as a monarch.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Well now we're diving pretty deep into theory and having me construct an actual governmental institution; perhaps some council that pores over school records etc and finds the brightest and best? Sorta Jedi-esque I suppose.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

But I would like to see how a liberal monarch interacts with the tools at his disposal in the information age; the ability to check on the real status of the people, endless statistics, the ability to say "fix this" and have a team of the brightest minds jump on it without having to wait 6 months for something to pass through a room full of 435 people who are only there because businesses paid for them and they filmed commercials in front of pickup trucks.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Bingo.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Interesting point. I wonder what would happen if you had an entire group of "potentials" who were trained by professors etc from a very young age and one was chosen for rule later, either by the people directly or by a senate or something. I don't know.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Interesting point. But I wonder what would happen if you had an entire group of "potentials" who were trained by professors etc from a very young age and chosen for rule later, either by the people directly or by a senate or something.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Many, many monarchies around the world have enjoyed centuries of relative stability and prosperity; some like the UK have had their monarchs slowly moved aside in favor of more power to parliament etc. The equilibrium of power changes in all governments over the course of centuries. In republics today, power can get concentrated in the hands of a tyrannical executive.

Many monarchies have had periods of tyranny; many monarchies have had periods of freedom and prosperity. The same can be said of republics and any other system of government as well.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Different? Could you explain?

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

I'm doing a lot of devil's advocacy here. Just in general, I think some forms of government are better or worse for certain societies. There is a place for monarchy. I would like to see how a liberal, enlightened monarchy works in the information age; we haven't seen any of those for a couple of centuries.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Fine. Elected monarchy then? Plenty of those historically.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Perhaps an elected senate which could confirm or deny appointments, much like the US system. Law would be a collaborative effort between the monarch and senate.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

In that regard I know of no modern ones. But many of the "enlightened despots" of Europe, I would consider those to be working.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

"When I see that the right and the means of absolute command are conferred on any power whatever, be it called a people or a king, an aristocracy or a democracy, a monarchy or a republic, I say there is the germ of tyranny, and I seek to live elsewhere, under other laws. "

-Alexis de Tocqueville

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Where does anyone learn empathy or what is just? A monarch in the modern world would access to all the news, media etc that anyone else does. They would see the impact of their actions. They don't have to be locked away in an ivory tower.

There are no Potemkin villages in the information age.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Valid point.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

Not that I know of. Someone mentioned oman; I'd have to look into it but I don't think so.

Many of the enlightened absolutists in Europe embodied the basic concept though.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

I said either/or. They both have advantages and disadvantages.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

No politician has any obligation to do anything for the long term good of his or her people. Getting elected is their only concern. I believe a monarch has a greater necessity in working for the long-term good than an elected official.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

The Enlightenment was almost completely responsible for the abolition of strictly absolutist monarchies, that is true. But the enlightened absolutists sprang up in Eastern Europe and brought immense prosperity and progress to their people.

thomas__hobbes · 1 year

But this greatly supports my larger point: that every form of government has its positives and negatives, and that some forms are better suited to some societies and cultures than others. Perhaps a monarchy is more conducive to a distancing from the common man, but a democracy is more conducive to inefficiency and shortsightedness.

thomas__hobbes

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