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Under the monarchy the UK has had peaceful transitions of power for 360 years. The system we have works and so most people here are happy with it. Alternatives

Under the monarchy the UK has had peaceful transitions of power for 360 years. The system we have works and so most people here are happy with it. Alternatives like the US presidential republic system (currently at 0 years of peaceful transitions of power) don't seem more attractive to most people here.

pjc50 5y ago
> peaceful transitions of power for 360 years This is a myth we like to tell ourselves, like the destroyed colonial records. 360 years ago is 1661. Shouldn't you count from at least 1688 "Glorious Revolution", when the current monarchy of Dutch ancestry invaded? Or, if you mean the UK, count from the Act of Union 1707, before which the UK did not exist as such? Or, counting "peaceful", from the end of the suppression of the Stuart monarchy in 1746? Or, counting "UK" again, the distinctly non-peaceful transition of power of part of the UK to Dublin in 1922? The consequent violence of which only ended in 1998? (especially if you're going to try to count the US Jan 6 incident as "not peaceful transition of power"! You have to overlook a lot of UK electoral violence if that's your threshold) The monarchy have largely managed to steer clear of this in the 20th century, although there was a near miss when Edward married a fascist spy and had to be forced out. Undoubtedly the influence of Prince Philip whose family were indeed exiled from Greece at gunpoint made a difference. The Queen has been very cautious.
- dukeyukey 5y ago
  Compared to what went on on the Continent from around 1790 to 1950, the UK (and it's predecessors) has been an absolute beacon of stability and continued governance, even if there's been some issues.
LatteLazy 5y ago
Under the monarchy the UK has not been attacked by trolls for 360 years. If we get rid of the monarchy, are we doomed to be invaded by trolls?
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  If you can't measure a system of government by the relative peace and stability maintained while it is in place, what do you want to measure it by instead?
  - LatteLazy 5y ago
    I'd attack the premise of the question. There is no single measure. That doesn't make peace and stability a good measure. North Korea has managed a few decades of that, are they much better governed than the USA (for all its faults)? Look closely at your measure, the UK has fought 2 Iraq wars, an afghan one, one in the Falklands, another in Yeman, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, Libya and Sierra Leone all on my short lifetime. So the claim UK Gov provides peace doesn't look great does it? Not compared to say Germany or France (republics). The truth is, there is no strong justification for any one given form of government or for the House of Windsor.
    - chrisseaton 5y ago
      You asked why we weren't being attacked by trolls and you want to attack the premise of my question? I think the French have gone through five republics in less than the last 500 years for example if you want to compare to them. Also been occupied. And I’m not sure comparing to Germany is a great idea… Fundamentally the reason we have a monarchy is because most people like it. It reigns with consent. That's in extremely sharp contrast to the leaders of almost all other countries. 50% of Americans will by design always detest their president.
      - LatteLazy 5y ago
        Hey, I just pointed out there is no hard evidence linking peaceful power transfer to the house of Windsor (or their previous equivalents). Plenty of monarchies fall apart, plenty of republics don't.
barrkel 5y ago
How peaceful was the transition of power in Ireland?

pjc50 5y ago

> peaceful transitions of power for 360 years This is a myth we like to tell ourselves, like the destroyed colonial records. 360 years ago is 1661. Shouldn't you count from at least 1688 "Glorious Revolution", when the current monarchy of Dutch ancestry invaded? Or, if you mean the UK, count from the Act of Union 1707, before which the UK did not exist as such? Or, counting "peaceful", from the end of the suppression of the Stuart monarchy in 1746? Or, counting "UK" again, the distinctly non-peaceful transition of power of part of the UK to Dublin in 1922? The consequent violence of which only ended in 1998? (especially if you're going to try to count the US Jan 6 incident as "not peaceful transition of power"! You have to overlook a lot of UK electoral violence if that's your threshold) The monarchy have largely managed to steer clear of this in the 20th century, although there was a near miss when Edward married a fascist spy and had to be forced out. Undoubtedly the influence of Prince Philip whose family were indeed exiled from Greece at gunpoint made a difference. The Queen has been very cautious.

dukeyukey 5y ago
Compared to what went on on the Continent from around 1790 to 1950, the UK (and it's predecessors) has been an absolute beacon of stability and continued governance, even if there's been some issues.

LatteLazy 5y ago

Under the monarchy the UK has not been attacked by trolls for 360 years. If we get rid of the monarchy, are we doomed to be invaded by trolls?

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
chrisseaton 5y ago
If you can't measure a system of government by the relative peace and stability maintained while it is in place, what do you want to measure it by instead?
- LatteLazy 5y ago
  I'd attack the premise of the question. There is no single measure. That doesn't make peace and stability a good measure. North Korea has managed a few decades of that, are they much better governed than the USA (for all its faults)? Look closely at your measure, the UK has fought 2 Iraq wars, an afghan one, one in the Falklands, another in Yeman, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, Libya and Sierra Leone all on my short lifetime. So the claim UK Gov provides peace doesn't look great does it? Not compared to say Germany or France (republics). The truth is, there is no strong justification for any one given form of government or for the House of Windsor.
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    You asked why we weren't being attacked by trolls and you want to attack the premise of my question? I think the French have gone through five republics in less than the last 500 years for example if you want to compare to them. Also been occupied. And I’m not sure comparing to Germany is a great idea… Fundamentally the reason we have a monarchy is because most people like it. It reigns with consent. That's in extremely sharp contrast to the leaders of almost all other countries. 50% of Americans will by design always detest their president.
    - LatteLazy 5y ago
      Hey, I just pointed out there is no hard evidence linking peaceful power transfer to the house of Windsor (or their previous equivalents). Plenty of monarchies fall apart, plenty of republics don't.

barrkel 5y ago

How peaceful was the transition of power in Ireland?