Southern Agrarianism and the culture of the Old South

Some Facts About Monarchies

A post at the Mad Monarchist (one of my favorite blogs, but sadly, it is now closed) presents some interesting facts about the actual cost of monarchies compared to republics. Here are a few points from the post (written during the time of EX-President Obama):

In Great Britain, the Queen is known for being exceptionally frugal, using the same car until it practically falls apart. In fact, in a recent year, the travel expenses for the entire British Royal Family was considerably less than the travel expenses for President Obama and his small crew.
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(W)hen people think of Marie Antoinette, they think lavishness and frivolity, they do not think of a woman who gave large amounts to charity, who broke down social barriers at court and who invited poor children to eat with her own royal offspring at Versailles. When it comes to royal children for that matter, it may surprise some to know how much more luxuriously the children of a President of the United States live compared to royal or even imperial offspring.
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The Romanov Archduchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, for example, had to sleep on camp beds and take cold baths. Their educational schedule was positively Spartan with dawn till dark studies and exercises. The White House may not be the Winter Palace but you can be sure the Obama daughters are taking hot baths at night. Similarly, when one thinks of an Emperor one doesn’t usually think of someone like Emperor Francis Joseph who slept on an army cot and wore clothes until they were worn out -and then patched them and wore them some more!
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In Russia, Emperor Alexander III preferred the simple meals of his servants to the delicacies of the banquets thrown by the upper class and his idea of recreation was a simple walk in the Russian wilderness with some sausage and a piece of bread for his lunch. These imperial leaders were hardly men of lavish, wasteful luxury and indulgence.

So… what is the point of this, you may ask? What does monarchy have to do with Southern Agrarianism? Aside from the fact that monarchies are a time-proven form of government that is grossly misunderstood by those who depend on American public schools for their education, it would behoove us give some serious thought as to what will replace the republican form of government here in America once it fully self-destructs. If you don’t see that coming, then you’re not paying attention. Am I advocating that America become a monarchy? The fact that I cannot see a realistic path from “here” to “there” precludes that. Still, it is a form of government that has stood the test of time for far longer than any form of self-government has. It’s a sad commentary on our ability to govern ourselves.


Have you ever wondered how monarchy might once again bring stability and order to our chaotic world? Getting From Here to There is an article I wrote in November 2017 that presents one possible route.

8 Comments

  1. Hamilton

    Plato’s “Republic” places Monarchy well ahead of Democracy in his estimation.

  2. Jeb

    As a fellow southern agrarian, I would recommend these as a read on monarchies vs democracies and why I am a libertarian monarchist.

    Monarchy vs Democracy A Critical Look at Democracy
    https://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?801857-Monarchy-vs-Democracy-A-Critical-Look-at-Democracy

    Monarchy vs Democracy -The Case for Feudal Monarchies
    https://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?801874-Monarchy-vs-Democracy-The-Case-for-Feudal-Monarchies

    • Stephen Clay McGehee

      Thank you, Jeb. Only one problem – you’ve just added two more books to my already-too-long “Need to Read” list! I have only recently become familiar with the term “libertarian monarchist”, but I like the sound of it. I’m not sure that it describes me (or maybe it does) but it’s something that I need to dig deeper into. Again, thank you.


      Edited to add – Even better than I had hoped for. The links are to articles that boil it down to the essentials, which usually means quotes from wise men from our past. Tradition triumphs again. They are not books to add to a list that might never be read, but wisdom to read and add to my notes on the topic. (Side note: Zim Desktop Wiki is a great program for organizing thoughts. It’s where I save things like this. And it’s a free program!)

  3. Jeb

    I am glad you read them as I wrote them. I as well have a much too long “books to read list.” I am becoming a monarchist and I think I am now fully one. I love two political systems, the feudal medieval monarchist, and the southern states’ decentralized republic. These two systems have so much in common. They both relied on a Christian background that put God’s law above men. They both believed in liberty from God not government, self-government, and most of all decentralization. Oh, and they were both agrarians. Agaranism supports these two systems. These are the only two systems you will find God supports in the bible.

    They were both agrarian and aristocratic.

    • Stephen Clay McGehee

      Beautifully said, sir. The plantation system operated, in effect, much like the manors – they were agrarian, self-sufficient, and were the cultural and political power base of their area and time. I strongly believe that, once this complex system collapses under its own weight, something very similar to the plantation/manor system will arise. From there, monarchy in some form (probably not quite like any of us might think of it though) will be the natural progression. That, of course, is just my own guess based on my understanding of those systems, and strongly influenced by where I live. Those living in urban areas or along the ocean or desert areas, etc., would almost certainly have very different outcomes. It’s a fascinating idea to ponder.

  4. Jeb

    “There was a land of Cavaliers and Cotton Fields called the Old South. Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow. Here was the last ever to be seen of Knights and their Ladies Fair, of Master and of Slave. Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization gone with the wind.”
    -Prologue Gone With The Wind

    It sounds like medieval monarchies. I see you like lewis, I always liked a quote of his on monarchies.

    “Where men are forbidden to honor a king they honor millionaires, athletes, or film-stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison.” – C.S. Lewis, Present Concerns

    To what you have said, I think so long as our anti-christ corrupt system does implode, and decentralization occurs, if its monarchies or something similar to antebellum-America, I will be happy. But I am not confident. I think we need a return of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

    • Stephen Clay McGehee

      Jeb, I think you’ll enjoy going through the Favorite Quotes page on my personal web site – http://scm.adjutant.com/favorite-quotes/

      You’ll notice that the very first quote is the C.S. Lewis quote that you provided. I wasn’t aware of the source that you included – thank you.

      As you said, what we need is the return of the King of Kings; however, until He returns, we are left to find our own solutions based on the words He gave us in the Holy Bible. Since monarchy is the model used throughout The Bible, and the only time the people voted, they voted to free a thief named Barabbas and crucify the sinless Son of God. Not much of an endorsement of democracy (in any of its variants).

  5. Jeb

    Thanks for the link and great quotes. I have not got through them all but I love what I have read so far- a very nice collection. I agree we should use God’s word as our model, and I also agree it seems monarchy is the desired system and history agrees. A Christian monarchy is the best form of government. I just don’t put much hope in fallen mankind to turn back to God. I think if we abolish government education that is the first step. Then we can raise our children [we homeschool] and the next generation could indeed turn it around.

    Since you and I both like quotes, here are some of the founder’s thoughts on democracy.

    D]emocracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention;have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property;and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.
    – James Madison

    [T]he experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived.”
    – John Quincy Adams

    “[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy; such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man’s life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit, and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable [abominable] cruelty of one or a very few.”
    – John Adams 

    “Turbulence, violence, and abuse of power by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority have produced factions and commotions which in republics have, more frequently than any other cause, produced despotism. If we go over the whole history of ancient and modern republics, we shall find their destruction to have generally resulted from these causes.”
    -James Madison Virginia Convention of 1788

    “Even the founding fathers of the U.S, nowadays considered the model of a democracy, were strictly opposed to it. Without a single exception, they thought of democracy as nothing but mob rule.”
    -Hans-Hermann Hoppe Professor Emeritus of Economics at UNLV, Distinguished Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute, founder and president of The Property and Freedom Society

    “In democracy . . . there are commonly tumults and disorders. . . . Therefore a pure democracy is generally a very bad government. It is often the most tyrannical government on earth.”
    – Noah Webster

    “The United States in 1800 or 1810 …”Democracy” was looked upon as a monstrosity.”
    -Erik von Kuehnelt- Leddihn The Menace of the Herd or Procrustes at Large Bruce Publishing Company Milwaukee 1943

    “It has never happened in the world, and it never will, that a democracy has been kept out of the control of the fiercest and most turbulent spirits in the society; they will breathe into it all their own fury, and make it subservient to the worst designs of the worst men”
    Fisher Ames

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