by The Economist
My articles My siteMy videosMy books
Follow on:LinkedINTwitterFacebookYoutubeAmazonGoogle +
| Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are celebrating the birth of their baby boy. A new emperor has ascended to the throne in Japan. And Thailand is crowning its new king. Around the world monarchies are holding up surprisingly well. What is the secret to their success?
Read more here: https://econ.st/2LoxqcC Around the world monarchies are holding up surprisingly well. Many are doing more than just surviving, they are thriving. 44 countries have a monarch as head of state. Since the millennium, only two royal families have gone out of business. Those of Samoa and Nepal, where in 2001, a murderous Nepalese prince killed nine family members, and himself. In effect, ending the royal line. In the 20th century revolutions and two world wars ended 110 monarchies. How do you keep a monarchy alive? Queen Elizabeth II is perhaps the best-known monarch. She rules over 16 realms and 86% of Britons think she’s doing a good job. This is partly because she says nothing of consequence in public. The British royals have also proved they can move with the times, welcoming a mixed-race American actress into the fold. In Thailand monarchs are apolitical, on paper, but their close ties with the army have legitimised many military coups undermining democracy. Strict laws also protect the monarchy’s image. Mild criticism of the royal family, and even their pets, is landing increasing numbers of people in prison. The power-hungry new king Vajiralongkorn is less popular than his father and some wonder whether the institution will survive under his rule. In Saudi Arabia, the king and his crown prince Mohammad bin Salman have absolute power. Part of the Al Saud dynasty’s success comes from its wealth. Riches from oil boost the country’s economy, creating large pots of money to buy the loyalty of subjects. Lavish welfare handouts are used to keep the people happy. And well-paid goons are used to keep them quiet. On April 23rd the country executed 37 people, many of them Shias, for alleged terrorism. Monarchs who survive today have mastered the art of tightrope walking. The best maintain popular support by staying out of politics, putting their country’s interests before their own and adapting with the times. If they don’t, they risk disappearing for good. For more from Economist Films visit: http://films.economist.com/ |
Tags:
