The Monarchist 1.0
Defending the British Crown Commonwealth and the English-Speaking Peoples
[+] HONOURING OUR PATRON, SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, VICTOR OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES
[+] HONOURING OUR QUEEN, ELIZABETH THE SECOND, ON THE 80TH YEAR OF HER BIRTH (1926 - 2006)
[+] HONOURING OUR KING, SAINT EDWARD THE CONFESSOR, ON THE 1000TH YEAR OF HIS BIRTH (1005 - 2005)
[+] HONOURING OUR HERO, LORD NELSON, ON THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR (1805 - 2005)
[+] HONOURING OUR SONS, THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH SOLDIERS KILLED IN THE 'WAR ON TERROR'
Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard, 46, Royal Canadian Regiment, Nov 27, 2006 (Afstan)
Staff Sergeant Sharron Elliott, 34, Intelligence Corps, Nov 12, 2006 (Iraq)
Private Jacob B. Kovco, 25, Royal Australian Regiment, April 21, 2006
[+] HONOURING OUR VETS ON THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORIA CROSS (1856 - 2006)
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Subject or Citizen
One of the more contemptible red herrings used by republicans is their taunt that it is more dignified for individuals to be citizens of a state than subjects of a sovereign. This of course conveniently ignores the reality that, whether we reside in a constitutional monarchy or an enlightened republic, we are all citizens of the modern democratic nation-state. It also ignores the reality that loyalty to state, whether we pledge allegiance to a king or a flag, is only one aspect of citizenship – the national aspect, but it is common to both. In both cases, individual citizens are subject to the collective will of the people, regardless of whether that collective will is represented by a reigning monarch or not.
The other aspects of citizenship include the constitutional (our legal status as equal citizens under the law with certain inalienable rights), the political (our desire as taxpayers to be engaged participants of the political sphere), the cultural (our natural inclination to preserve our heritage and identity) and the social (our responsibility to contribute to the well-being of civic society and the social good by being economically self-reliant, providing for our families and freely giving to charitable causes). Given the breadth of the meaning and notion of citizenship then, are we really to believe that none of this applies to us because we are “subjects” of the Queen?
Besides, the idea of an enlightened citizenry is not a modern invention as some republicans claim, but a comparatively ancient Athenian one, older than even the Dark Ages, when as liegemen we were once little more than peasant slaves, living for scarce other reason that to serve and obey our feudal masters. No longer are we mere vassals of the state, where our survival is dependent on an absolute deference and loyalty to our lord protector. Society has come a long way since the Dark Ages alright. In fact, we have been re-empowered as individuals so much so, that we seem to be moving past the whole concept of citizenship altogether.
An argument can be made that we have degenerated from subjects and citizens to spectators and consumers; spectators of the political scene and consumers of government services. Why do you think we can be bought with our own money when the time actually comes for politicians to “consult” us? Because we let them, that’s why. Because it’s easier to be a customer, than it is to be a citizen. Because it’s easier to allow the state to serve you, than it is for you to serve the state. If this is true, we are no longer citizens then. We are subjects of the state.
POSTED BY: The Monarchist AT 12:35 p.m. | LINKS |
One of the more contemptible red herrings used by republicans is their taunt that it is more dignified for individuals to be citizens of a state than subjects of a sovereign. This of course conveniently ignores the reality that, whether we reside in a constitutional monarchy or an enlightened republic, we are all citizens of the modern democratic nation-state. It also ignores the reality that loyalty to state, whether we pledge allegiance to a king or a flag, is only one aspect of citizenship – the national aspect, but it is common to both. In both cases, individual citizens are subject to the collective will of the people, regardless of whether that collective will is represented by a reigning monarch or not.
The other aspects of citizenship include the constitutional (our legal status as equal citizens under the law with certain inalienable rights), the political (our desire as taxpayers to be engaged participants of the political sphere), the cultural (our natural inclination to preserve our heritage and identity) and the social (our responsibility to contribute to the well-being of civic society and the social good by being economically self-reliant, providing for our families and freely giving to charitable causes). Given the breadth of the meaning and notion of citizenship then, are we really to believe that none of this applies to us because we are “subjects” of the Queen?
Besides, the idea of an enlightened citizenry is not a modern invention as some republicans claim, but a comparatively ancient Athenian one, older than even the Dark Ages, when as liegemen we were once little more than peasant slaves, living for scarce other reason that to serve and obey our feudal masters. No longer are we mere vassals of the state, where our survival is dependent on an absolute deference and loyalty to our lord protector. Society has come a long way since the Dark Ages alright. In fact, we have been re-empowered as individuals so much so, that we seem to be moving past the whole concept of citizenship altogether.
An argument can be made that we have degenerated from subjects and citizens to spectators and consumers; spectators of the political scene and consumers of government services. Why do you think we can be bought with our own money when the time actually comes for politicians to “consult” us? Because we let them, that’s why. Because it’s easier to be a customer, than it is to be a citizen. Because it’s easier to allow the state to serve you, than it is for you to serve the state. If this is true, we are no longer citizens then. We are subjects of the state.
POSTED BY: The Monarchist AT 12:35 p.m. | LINKS |
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