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Like certain members have done.
So you shed a healthy light on Republicanism. However, I'm still a fond Monarchist.
Yes of course you do. What offers are Tescos running at the moment btw?
I don't know where to start with this confused post. Did I ever mention that Blair doesn't have wealth? At least their is some pretension of accountabilty there. And what has China got to do with anything I've written? A state where wealth and priviledge also counts for everything. Why would I want to live there? I'll tell you, not everyone can make it from the bottom. If we live in such a classless free society, why are there so many people living on the streets?
Just because you think you've been to other countries, so what? Yes I know the British system could be worse - it could also be a whole lot better. If no one ever wanted to improve things "because things could be worse", we'd still alll be living in caves. You're argument is fallacious in the extreme.
Well why get worked up about it then? Can I remind you, that it was you that started this little spat, child.
Now go run off to Tescos, child.
You think the Queen gives a shit about the war?
Seeing as the BBC get criticised by left and right alike and by whichever goverment is in power, they must be doing something right. No, they're not perfect, but I'd rather have a news channel independent of commercial interests, even if I have to pay for it through my license fee.
Its worth it IMO.
Yes, you have ranted and raved. I find rhetoric like this
Quite offensive. The Queen is not representative of me or the Britain I know. Your version of British pride equates to jingoism as far as I can see. That is deeply offensive and childish.
Fair play to you. Just don't come on here with your extremist "God save the Queen" rants.
They have power by virtue of having rank and wealth - their political power however is largely symbolic.
I hardly think their opinions count for nothing!
It's not about formal power anyway. Partly it's symbolic, and partly it's about the informal networks of power surrounding the Royals and court. It's changed a bit now, but ten years ago I remember reading a piece which pointed out that a lot of people with high positions at court - Black Rod, ladies of the Bedchamber and the rest of them - were frequently arch-conservatives in positions of influence.
The Monarchy, House of Lords (though less so now), the higher echelons of the civil service, the armed forces - they're all a mutually-supportive conservative clique.
Having a monarchy and a royal family means that a whole family of people are undertaking valuable ceremonial and charitable duties across the country to a degree to which an executive president or symbolic president just cannot fulfil."
2. So they have money because mummy and daddy have money. Are all rich kids parasites who should be abolished?
3. If they don't have political power, what is the problem anyway?
4. What is wrong with a clique? People get goodjobs because of who they know, it is perfectly understandable, what is wrong with it?
It stands for power and privilege.
What happened to your burgeoning class analysis? Your 2nd statement is a straw man btw.
They don't have formal political power, this doesn't mean that they don't wield any power - they do and it is wielded in favour of the rich and powerful against the interests of most other people.
What's right with it?
I notice that the constitutional monarchies are the most democratic countries of Europe. I can’t understand how there could be any debate about it.
Jack Lang, French Minister of Culture, October 1993.
If constitutional monarchy were to come to an end in Britain, parliamentary democracy would probably not survive it. It is, after all, through the monarchy that parliamentary control over the armed forces is mediated and maintained.
Conor Cruise O’Brien, The Independent, 25th June 1993.
I am personally still convinced that there are safeguards in the constitutional monarchy that an elected head of state just would not possess.
Roger Stott MP, The Independent on Sunday, 7th September 1997.
Monarchy is the one system of government where power is exercised for the good of all.
Aristotle, 322-384 BC
thats like saying im not allowed to call the fire service to put my burning house out, simply because my neighbours house isnt on fire
The alternative nightmare scenario looks not to the European model but to the American, where the essentials for election to the presidency appear to be ruthless ambition, access to vast wealth, reckless promises of patronage and preferment, effective control of a big slice of the media and a plausible TV manner.
We don’t know when we are well off.
Gordon Medcalf, The Independent, 10th September 1997
This one is especially true, you have to admit it. The Royals are born into wealth, therefore, greed is not an issue. Just look at Bush.......He speaks English.....he's white.....who says Britain won't end up with a similar misfit?
This is what makes us different, and has done for so long, so go back to your fantasy world 'publicans, aint gonna happen in your miserable life time.
Yes, we can all find quotes or examples that supprt our case. What side were the Royal Family on during the Spanish civil war for instance?
What an absurd comparison. The point is that the royals exercise power and privilege, simply due to an accident of birth. That ain't right.
I didn't know they fought in it.
Talk about a straw man argument! Just because I'm opposed to the royals, it doesn't necessarily follow that I want the US model. Logic ain't your strong point is it?
What side were the Carlists on?
Yeah it is. It doesn't follow that because I'm opposed to monarchy that I must be in favour of a presidency. Come on Kermit, you know me better than that!
Here...
"The British love their Queen, their Queen Mother, Prince Charles, and the comforting security of their hereditary constitutional monarchy, an institution of which the characters are beyond the manipulation of man, an institution guaranteeing continuity, overriding the dissensions of politics. The best governments are constitutional monarchies, and we may yet see some restored in eastern Europe."
Lord Menuhin, The Daily Telegraph, 2nd July 1998
And finally...
"In republicks there is not a respect for authority, but a fear of power."
Dr Samuel Johnson (Boswell’s Life, p 464).
Feel free to add some of your reliable, famous, worthy quotes.
so because you were born in a developed country? means you should use all the services and facilities open to you?
Geowizz was making a point about monarchy in general. The British govt and monarcy also implicitly supported the fascists in Spain too y'know.
You've obviously run out of arguments, hence you resorting to quotes. Well done. Now run along back to Tescos.
What?
Well the argument was about the British Monarchy. And your thing about implicit is complete rubbish. You may be able to make a better case for it being part of appeasement, but to suggest implict support is rubbish.
And given that the Republicans were explicitly supported by Stalin I'd be careful about making too much of the Spanish Civil War as abattle between the forces of democratic socialist goodies and evil, reactionary baddies (especially given that during the rule of the evil reactionary baddies the Head of State was a general and it was only on his death and democratic rule that the monarchy returned).