A monarchy is a government which is ruled by a royal family, with the leader being designated as the king or queen. Only relatives within the royal family are typically allowed to take over upon the death of the ruler and people rule until their death or overthrow. It may be an uncommon form of government today, but in the past monarchies were how most nation-states were ruled. Here are the pros and cons of monarchies to consider.
The Pros of Monarchies
1. The chain of command is simplified and it is always active.
Everyone knows who will be the next leader.
2. Decisions are made quickly because only one person is allowed to make them.
There may be advisers or a cabinet in place to help with consultation, but those additional voices don’t have the same authority as the king or queen.
3. It reduces polarization within the general population.
Instead of focusing on specific labels, such as “liberal” or “conservative,” the focus is on specific issues instead. There will still be disagreements, of course, but without the gridlock that other forms of government have.
4. The best interests of everyone are generally considered.
There will always be tough decisions that must be made, but a monarchy moves forward as one nation instead of a group of different parties.
The Cons of Monarchies
1. Abusive rulers can have unlimited authority.
Because they stay in power until death, there can be classes of people who are discriminated against for decades. They can even be removed from the nation if they are considered to be “undesirable.”
2. Wealth filters from the top down.
Most monarchies have societal class systems which are based on wealth and nobility.
3. You’re only as powerful as you are allowed.
Businesses may have some freedoms to operate within a monarchy, but only at the ruling individual’s leisure. If the king or queen wants your business to stop operating, then you’re out of business.
4. There are no checks or balances.
Kings and queens report to no one. This means they can rule according to what they want instead of what their people want.
The pros and cons of monarchies show that this method of government can be beneficial, but there are severe negatives that must be considered as well. It has fallen out of favor, but as with anything in this world, times may change and it may become popular once again.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
