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0 pointstonyblundell12y ago0 comments

I'd be interested to hear more on this. At the minute I'm not sure what dire circumstances you mean, or how having a leader implies a threat of war. It seems like a lot of what you wrote could be applied to any leader of any nation.

I went through a vehement anti-monarchy phase when I was younger, since then I'm starting to appreciate the idea of a head of state who isn't a career politician that campaigned or even bought their way into office.

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2 comments · 2 top-level

seclorum12y ago

The human proclivity towards cult behaviour is what I'm talking about. The UK Royals have no real function other than to promote the English personality, as a cultural artifact, to their subjects. In that regard, it functions as a cult, one of the most effective in the world, for promulgating collective reality.

This, after all, is how wars get started.

Edit: the dire circumstances being, of course, WW3 - the subject of the Queens' speech.

arethuza12y ago

I'd prefer that we had a ceremonial President like Germany, Ireland or Israel.

Having said that, I prefer having the Royals to an elected non-ceremonial Head of State. Having the Head of State separate from the head of the executive branch of government seems like a good idea to me.

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