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| Photo by the Author |
Development is an integral part of the overall
social growth of the people—and it’s from this growth that individuals
can cluster together to form thriving societies, joining
together and properly forming bonds and connections with one another.
One crucial
role of society is that of leaders, and the different roles they play that truly make them effective. Leaders have the power to change aspects
of society. Their actions can
greatly influence the people around them so that they may follow the presumed status quo. There are different forms of leadership all
over the world, but in today’s article, the focus shall be on two: monarchies and democracies.
We raise a very crucial question, more relevant in light of the recent developments: What is the importance of monarchies in the modern world of democracy?
Monarchy is a form of government involving a single
royal family wherein the monarch (king or queen) is the Head of State. Contrary to popular belief, they are actually more widespread
than people initially think. Particularly, monarchies are much more prevalent in
smaller nations, sometimes being treated more as socialites in today’s times.
Before, monarchs were
the sole ruling hand most countries had, with some royal lineages even holding control over other smaller nations. These royal families
used to be the only leaders that the common folk had to turn to in their
plights. Monarchs would continue their
lavish lifestyles, brushing aside the dissent of their own people and treating their plight as simple complaints that the everyday man had.
Democracy, on the other hand,
largely relies on the power of the people—and how the everyday man or woman
has the ability to express themselves and their beliefs, and in turn, choose a
competent leader that can guide the country to a brighter future.
Democracy entails those of legal age to be able to vote for who they deem fit to assume the role as the country's leader, as well as the other government officials
they wish to see alongside them. As mentioned before, the main
reason why this is the widely accepted manner of choosing leaders
is that it allows the nation's people to actively evaluate who they wish to guide them, and gives them an equal opportunity to elect and become part of the discourse.
Historically, democracy was considered a radical idea for monarchs and at the time, was dismissed and thought of as a simple whim of the people. As royal families continued to abuse their power and live in luxury, people would start to find their voice.
Throughout history, revolutions were started as an expression of the people's will, until finally, their wishes for a more democratic leadership could no longer be ignored. Blind subservience to monarchies was now the days of old, and the common folk of these nations are now able to express the
qualities they wish to see in a leader, as well as establish that their voices must be heard.
Currently, with over a hundred independent nations in the world, there are 26 monarchies around the world, with 12 being in Europe and 10 of those 12 being led by a royal family. In most cases, there is a democratic or parliamentary government ruling alongside them, and
more often than not—like previously mentioned—they are considered
geopolitical socialites, with a few of their key roles and obligations being the following:
- Royal Assent – This refers to the Monarch's approval which is required to make a Bill into an Act of Parliament.
- To remain politically neutral – Royal families focus on brokering peace. The Monarch has to be strictly neutral with political matters. They do not vote or have a stand in elections, but they do have key ceremonial and formal duties to the UK government.
- Uphold tradition and antiquity – With the lineage of every royal family dating back as far as centuries, members are also charged with upholding the past of their ancestors, in a sense acting as living relics of the past.
However, that isn’t to say that royal
families are wholly reliable. With their roots being dated back to even before
major globalization, this means that some royal families’ hands are stained in blood
and gold, as both historians and the youth point out. Here are also a few key reasons to dive deeper into why people wish to see modern monarchies
abolished:
- Tax – Monarchs, although also required by their nation’s law to pay taxes to their respective democratic governments, largely earn their income from the civilians, as they pay a portion of their own taxes to the royal family, in addition to their regular tax. Inversely, royal families, being politically neutral, have no qualms if their governments ever decide to raise taxes. This will also raise the portion of the tax that goes to them. Ergo, if a government with an active royal family raises taxes, the royal family’s earnings from taxation will also rise.
- History of colonization and bloodshed – As mentioned before, royal families are infamous for their conflicts, both with each other and with smaller nations. In these conflicts, colonization and slavery come into play—and it is the direct lineage of these monarchs that were in charge when these atrocities were committed on smaller nations. Both royal families and democratic governments of these nations will work together to paint these atrocities as simply dark parts of the nation’s history. It is also this whitewashing of bloodshed that previously colonized nations find offense in.
- Historical looting – Related to the previous point, a popular practice in the past is that monarchs will not only commit war against colonized nations, but they will also steal historical antiques from these nations as a sort of prize of war. Additionally, royal families from the past strived to one-up each other when it came to the antique items they have collected, and in turn, are further motivated to steal from cultures that aren’t theirs, making them a part of their country’s museum to this day.
Reading these points, one
might wonder as to how these relate to modern monarchs, as the points brought
up were mostly committed by ancient royal families. The problems stem from the
fact that royal families, as mentioned before, remain dismissive of their lineage's past transgressions, opting not to apologize nor acknowledge their history on
behalf of their family.
Instead, these royal families choose to continue to live their lavish lives on the back of their own historical transgressions as to them, the past is in the
past. They choose to look over the fact that what their ancestors have done has
significantly impacted the lives of those they deemed below
them. To a smaller extent, today's monarchs are doing the same thing by not
even acknowledging the harm that their family has directly caused to other nations.
That said, this
once again begs the question: What
is the importance of royalty in a democratic society?
A nation’s
history should never be forgotten, and each aspect of the past, both good and
bad, should both be acknowledged as well as preserved. This is to ensure that
in the future, a nation’s status would only replicate the successes of the
past, while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls that transpired in yesteryears.
Yes, monarchs serve as a way to look into the past and as reminders that the voice of the people is what governs a
nation—and that democracy allows us to not only use that voice to
support a leader we truly believe in but that that voice also allows us to speak up
when we see something inherently wrong with our government and the tribulations that come our way.
International Day of Democracy is celebrated to pay homage
to those who fought and continue to fight for the freedom of people. Common heroes of democracy are those who defend human rights and fight for a free press, as well
as leaders that actively fight for the betterment of their citizens everywhere. One of the ways that we can actively show our support to these people is to choose
them as our leaders. Freedom of speech is one of the many things
that past heroes have fought for. Democracy itself can mean ‘ruled by the people’,
and it is something that the everyday man has to continuously fight for—allowing our
voices to be heard clearly by those in power.
