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Originally Posted by Iain
Monarchy doesn't breed elitism or arrogance. The most egalitarian societies in the world are monarchies, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands etc. and if the monarchy is constitutional then there is no centralised power. Having a monarch means that you have a head of state who is above politics and who can unite a nation in a way that a president can't. As for arrogance, well you need look no further than the present occupant of the oval office to see that in action.
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I think it is also fair to recognize that some of the least egalitarian places in the world are also monarchies, and monarchs are not always above politics,even in
Europe. Besides, a monarchy is a part of a country's governance structure, and thus arguably inherantly political. That the Western European countries you list are some of the most egalitarian in the world have less to do with the fact that they are monarchies today and more to do with their historical and cultural specifitities, as well as social structures. Would these structures disintigrate if the said monarchies were abolished? I don't think so.
Finally, the current occupant of the oval office is only one example. One can not judge all presidents of all countries by his record. There have been, and continue to be, numerous presidents and prime ministers who have united their countries, just as there have been (and continue to be) monarchs who bring havoc to their countries.