Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 I came across this article which provides a complelling argument for restoring monarchy in post communist countires. I'd like to know the opinions of board members about this topic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ELECTION as Yugoslav president of the noted monarchist and constitutional scholar, Vojislav Kostunica, raises a fascinating question. Could Yugoslavia be the first post-Communist country to restore the monarchy? European monarchies have excellent records of democracy and preserving freedom. When Americans think of monarchy, they are most likely to think of Britain and Queen Elizabeth II. But the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg and the Scandinavian countries are successful monarchies. Heredity is the single-most common method for choosing a head of state in monarchy countries in the European Union or NATO. Spain is a stable democracy in no small measure because of the unifying effect of its popular king, Juan Carlos. He dismantled the engines of Gen. Francisco Franco's dictatorship and handed power to civilian rulers. He stood up against an attempt by the military to restore fascist rule. When the military held parliament hostage, it was the king who commanded the soldiers to lay down their arms. The United States is a striking exception to a global rule: Parliamentary systems are more stable, more effective and better able to preserve freedom than executive presi dencies, and some of the best examples of effective parliamentary democracies are constitutional monarchies. Better governance is only one advantage of restoring the monarchy. I would recommend that any of the new countries in Central and Eastern Europe consider the option. As a host of new countries compete for the attention of international investors and tourists, each will need a unique selling point. What better way for a newly liberated country to attract tourists than to advertise to Americans its long history, its museums and its palaces? Countries with names that the Soviets wiped from the map can make much of their links to the past by establishing monarchies once again. Monarchy establishes that these new states are being built by old nations. Monarchy separates politics from government: In that sense, it is the opposite of totalitarianism, which deliberately pretends that the interests of the ruling elite are those of the country. In a monarchy, it is clear that you can be loyal to the state without being loyal to the government. And what better ambassador could there be to garner foreign investment than a king or queen? Would American investors rush to meet the president of a country they could not place on a map? Would the networks report such a visit to American shores? But the queen of some European domain would attract far more interest. Yugoslavia is lucky. Like post-Franco Spain, it has a living royal family. Crown Prince Alexander, the heir of the prewar King Peter II, visited Belgrade last month. Not all the new states have an obvious claimant. That need not matter. There is an established procedure for creating a new monarchy: find an unemployed royal and offer him or her the job. A few years ago, the leader of the Estonian monarchist party sounded out his Cambridge buddy, Britain's Prince Edward. Enlisting the second, or in this case, third, son of someone else's ruler has antecedents. When Norway gained independence from Sweden in 1905, it asked the second son of Denmark's king to take the throne. King Haakon VII, as he became, was Norway's king for a half century. The Hapsburg family, former rulers at various times of Austria, Hungary, Spain and Germany, as well as most of what became Yugoslavia, usually can be relied upon to provide a king or queen if any country finds itself short. If it is glamour a country seeks, then Yugoslavia's Crown Prince Alexander has a niece who might fit the role: the actress Catherine Oxenberg, who married an East European prince in the television show ``Dynasty'' and played the Princess of Wales in a TV series. King Farouk predicted that one day there would be only five kings: England, clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds. But he might just have been wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 Alpha, that's all well and good; but where would we dig up our king??? I, for one, have no idea where the descendants of the last king are. Does anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 I am here Don't look too far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 I think we would have no problem finding various kings, queens, princes and nobility in general. We will have a tremendous difficulty in finding THE commoner, though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 To solve the problem we could have Count Khorovadz from Proshian, Baron Giragos from Baronian, etc. We could also have various dinasties depending on the branch of government you work for. [This message has been edited by Boghos (edited November 03, 2000).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 I don't know about Armenian monarchy but I think the english monarchy is a bunch of crap and a waste of good public money, to keep them in silverware and on their arse all day meanwhile there are elderly in terrible homes, children on the streets,etc etc! I think they at best provide a soap opera for saddos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 Seriously, It was 3 years ago. There were a group of Armenians trying to trace the offspring of the Lusignean dinasty. What was known was that he/she has something in common with the Hungarian wing of Habsburgs. Interestingly enough representatives of the afore mentioned group visited Bulgaria and said that according to their data and research "Hagop Hagopian" from Plovdiv is the king of the Armenians. The man, by profession machine engineer, was so overwhelmed he barely could talk to the press.I remember him saing something like "please don't do this to me". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 About 12 years ago there was a small political party in Armenia, headquartered in Abaran. I think they were called "Ragavorakan kusaktsutsiun." They have been promoting the idea of monarchy. I remember meeting their leader, once. Overall, they had made an impression of "Khash utogh Hayaer" on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 As Armenians though, one king would not be enough. We'd have to have multiple kings supported by mutually exclusive groups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 3, 2000 Report Share Posted November 3, 2000 How about Takavor Berj! But no more Black women then for you guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2000 Report Share Posted November 4, 2000 Well I've to reveal myself. I am the chosen one. I am a direct descendant of the Rupenians. Please make me a king and I'll turn you into barons, ladys, counts etc... Well enough with kings and queens. We barely are handling a President for 4-5 years. Romantic as it might sound it does not provide solutions to our 'burning' issues. If one day, we end up having solved all of our country's problems, and have nothing to worry about, maybe then we can play king and queen.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2000 Report Share Posted November 5, 2000 Guys, you forgot that Queen Nvard is our democratically elected Queen of Armenia. She was not impeached yet. It's interesting that lot of villagers in Armenia refer to the president as "tagavor". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2000 Report Share Posted November 5, 2000 Berj, I didn´t know that. Do they use it in a mocking sort of way, or is really incorporated in the vocabulary (not in the literal sense, I should hope) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2000 Report Share Posted November 6, 2000 Allow me to deviate a bit.Some 15 year ago , the famous Lebanese-Armenian photographer, whose name I cannot recall - I think Shiraz, managed to visit eastern Anatolia( Occupied Armenian territories) , he manged to visit Sasoun. Surprisingly he discovered some turkish-speaking , but yet Christian, Sasountsi Armenians. They were very happy to encounter a fellow Armenian, because they thought that we do not exist any more.When they heard that we had a country too, they were double thrilled and the first question they asked was " how is the armenian king? " , meaning of-course the Gatoghigos......They remained Armenians in their soul , they preserved their religion ( in secrecy). Isn't this adorable and encouraging story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2000 Report Share Posted November 7, 2000 Thanks for the info Raffi. Boghos, Even in Yerevan some elders use "tagavor" for president. Middle aged use it while joking. And some villagers really mean it. I think it's comming from our nation's naive wish to see the just and fair saviour some day. Ironically, it's always Qaj Nazar who rules us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2000 Report Share Posted November 7, 2000 quote:Originally posted by Berj:Guys, you forgot that Queen Nvard is our democratically elected Queen of Armenia. She was not impeached yet.Thank you Berj!!Yeah, guys, don't forget about meeeeeeee!!!!I am the queen!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you support me I will make your life better, your wallet havier and you fridge is going to be full....BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...Anyways, guys, Armenia needs serious economic support! There are so many robbers from government and you want to add a monarch??????? loool......I don't wanna see that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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