With the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, many conversations about her polarizing legacy arose. While Britain has what is likely the most recognizable remaining nominal monarchy, they are far from the only one. Given that modern monarchies are undemocratic, economic burdens with often appalling histories, they should be abolished.
Present day monarchies have a storied, and often negative, past. The most prominent example of this is the British monarchy, which both directly and indirectly represents Britain’s colonialist and imperialist history. Al Jazeera points out that not only do they “[represent] an old, abhor[rent] institution,” of slavery and brutal pillaging, mainly of non-white countries, but these atrocities directly “facilitated [their] considerable wealth and white privilege.”
British colonization of India from 1765-1938 is a prime example of this, with one leading economist estimating that Britain stole almost $45 trillion from India through taxes and resources. Additionally, royal commentator Kristen Menizer tells Insider that the monarchy has “actively perpetrated slavery and profited from it,” while offering no apologies nor reparations of any sort.
However, as Open Democracy UK details, the monarchy is “moralized in media culture,” ignoring the “centuries of exploitation and accumulation that have helped it survive.” By glossing over a history of white supremacy and colonization, a disservice is done to all who suffered under the British Empire. Modern monarchies, like this one, represent the atrocities their ancestors commonly committed.
Monarchies are also, by principle, inherently undemocratic. The idea of a democratic and equal society depends on everyone having a voice, but monarchies, even largely nominal ones, grant unique influence and power to unelected individuals. In Britain, for example, The Guardian points out that the monarch has the power to appoint a Prime Minister and to dissolve parliament, and greater primacy in the considerations of politicians, whom they have close access to.
Thomas Wootton High School freshman Lilith French points out that “Even in monarchies where [monarchs] are just figureheads, they represent the highest level of power and [expect] to be respected. They don’t deserve respect just for existing in power.”
The idea that respect and influence are a monarch’s birthright promotes the type of unjust beliefs that shouldn’t exist in a cohesive and healthy society.
In Japan, another nominal monarchy, the emperor is banned from making any political statement, and has no such government power, which seems to be fairer, yet does not address the principal issue at hand: a hereditary hierarchy gives some greater power than others. The position of an inherited leader who holds impunity, special status and access is incompatible with the democratic principles of equality and representation for all, upon which a fair society is premised.
Aside from being unjust and immoral, these monarchies cost taxpayers a tremendous amount of money and are financially impractical. Simply put, maintaining royal families is expensive. In 2020, Monaco’s royal family cost the average taxpayer $1,386 according to CNN, and the UK’s royal family accepts the most money of any European monarchy, taking around $103 million (2018-2019) from the government in the form of a ‘sovereign grant,’ to pay for their duties and to fund construction on their many properties. These costs are clearly not worth it, especially when you consider how they earn it. Being born? Being a member of a family built on colonization? Performing ceremonial duties? Monarchies provide nowhere near the service or value required to justify these costs.
Richard Montgomery freshman Oorja Munot reiterates this, stating that it is “unjust that [royal families] are contributing so little to society yet receiving payment for it.” Munot believes this money should instead be given to “issues that are seriously affecting citizens,” rather than unelected monarchs.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, one of many ideas raised in the discussion was the abolition of the monarchy, questioning what she represented, what value she provided to the country and whether she should have existed in the first place. Nominal monarchies like Britain, Monaco, Japan and many more are undemocratic, some with horrific histories and some who are paid large sums of taxpayer money for their “service,” which usually amounts to ceremonial duties — or worse, authoritarian exercises of power. They are unnecessary and overdue for abolition.
Written by Avni Koenig of Thomas S. Wootton High School